Luke Rockhold News

Tom Taylor - August 10, 2020

Former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will not be retiring from mixed martial arts, despite widespread speculation to the contrary. Rockhold has not fought since July, 2019, when he was knocked out by Jan Blachowicz in his first fight in the UFC light heavyweight division. Since that loss, he made no secret of the fact that his future in the sport was up in the air.

Tom Taylor - April 30, 2020

Luke Rockhold is a long-time friend and training partner of undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Having felt Nurmagomedov’s world class skills first-hand, Rockhold believes the lightweight champ is a nightmare matchup for just about anybody — at lightweight or welterweight. Rockhold praised the skills of the champ on a recent episode of Submission Radio.

Tom Taylor - April 29, 2020

Luke Rockhold doesn’t seem particularly enthused about a potential fight with British knockout artist Jimi Manuwa. Rockhold has not fought since a 2019 knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz, but recently divulged that he’s getting the “itch” to fight again.

Tom Taylor - April 29, 2020

Luke Rockhold seems to have accepted Michael Bisping’s invitation to squash their beef and share a beer one day. At one point, Bisping and Rockhold were two of the most bitter rivals in MMA. The pair went 1-1 across two bouts, with Rockhold winning the first by submission and Bisping winning the second — a short-notice title opportunity — by knockout. In the lead-up to and fallout of these bouts, the pair exchanged tons of trash talk and clearly got under each other’s skin.

Cole Shelton - April 23, 2020

Jimi Manuwa is interested in making his return to the Octagon against Luke Rockhold. Manuwa has not fought since UFC Stockholm last June where he suffered a vicious head kick knockout loss to Aleksandar Rakic. It was his fourth straight loss including three by knockout. But, he has since hinted at a return and even told BJPENN.com he is looking to return and compete again inside the Octagon.

Tom Taylor - April 22, 2020

After a series of tough losses in the Octagon, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold took a step back from fighting — be he didn’t officially retire. As it turns out, that distinction was deliberate.

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2020

At one point, Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold were two of the most bitter rivals in MMA. From the sounds of it, the animosity between them has diminished. The pair went 1-1 across two bouts, with Rockhold winning the first by submission and Bisping winning the second — a short-notice title opportunity — by knockout. In the lead-up to and fallout of these bouts, the pair exchanged tons of trash talk and clearly got under each other’s skin.

Tom Taylor - April 3, 2020

Former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold still hasn’t decided if he’ll fight again, but for the moment, it’s not a priority. “I’m taking a leave of absence,” Rockhold said on the Major Waves Podcast (via MMA Junkie). “I’m just kind of doing my thing right now — getting life organized, getting things together. It’s good to be back on the West Coast. I was training out in Florida and it’s just – Florida’s tough. It’s hot, it’s humid – it’s a different lifestyle.”

Adam D Martin - December 1, 2019

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold lost a decision to Nick Rodriguez in a no-gi catchweight grappling match at Polaris 12. The bout took place Saturday at International Convention Centre Wales in Newport, Wales, and was streamed live on Fight Pass. Rockhold and Rodriguez grappled at a 230lbs catchweight in what was Rockhold’s first taste of competition since he was knocked out by Jan Blachowicz in the Octagon at UFC 239 earlier this summer.

Tom Taylor - November 27, 2019

Former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has been knocked out in several of his most recent fights, and Michael Bisping — the man behind one of those knockouts — believes the American would be wise to hang up the gloves. https://youtu.be/PHwXfjwrGG8

Cole Shelton - November 21, 2019

Luke Rockhold has come out and said he is happy not fighting and isn’t sure if he will ever return to the Octagon. For the former UFC middleweight champion, if this is the end of his career, he has no regrets about it and is happy that he is healthy.

Cole Shelton - November 20, 2019

Luke Rockhold doesn’t know if he will ever step foot inside the Octagon again. But, if he does, it definitely won’t be for a second fight with Chris Weidman. The two fought at UFC 194 where Rockhold TKO’d Weidman in the fourth round to become the middleweight champion. It was a phenomenal fight, and many wanted to see them run it back. The pair were slated to rematch at UFC 199, but Weidman got hurt and Michael Bisping filled in and ended up knocking Rockhold out cold. With that, a rematch between Rockhold and Weidman no longer made sense.

Mike Pendleton - October 17, 2019

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold’s fighting career could be coming to an end. Ariel Helwani of ESPN reported on Thursday night that during a conversation with the former champion, Rockhold is considering calling it a career. “I have no interest in fighting right now,” Rockhold told ESPN, and Helwani noted that he also said it is “very” possible he never returns to fighting.

Christopher Taylor - October 17, 2019

UFC President Dana White has taken a shot at former middleweight title holder Luke Rockhold, suggesting that ‘Rocky’ has no game. In an interview with ORIGNALS, the brash UFC boss claimed that Rockhold acts like a “buffoon” when he’s around women.

Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (16-5 MMA) could have a career in bull riding when he decides to hang up the gloves. Rockhold was recently in Montana where had the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with a bull.

Cole Shelton - August 21, 2019

Anthony Smith and Luke Rockhold have had a heated rivalry for quite some time. Ever since “Lionheart” moved up from the middleweight division and began having success at light heavyweight, the former middleweight champion Rockhold has been critical of him. Yet when Rockhold made his own debut at 205-pounds, he was knocked out in the second round by Jan Blachowicz. For Anthony Smith, this was good to see as it forced Rockhold eat his words. But, even after Rockhold’s failed light heavyweight debut, Smith isn’t done trash-talking his rival.

Tom Taylor - July 23, 2019

For a time, Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold were two of the most heated rivals in the UFC middleweight division. The two former champions went 1-1 across two bouts, and exchanged plenty of trash talk throughout the time they were intertwined. Today, Michael Bisping is happily retired. Luke Rockhold, on the other hand, has fallen on hard times, losing three of his last four fights — all by knockout. Not even a move up to the light heavyweight division was able to revivify the former champion’s career, as he was knocked out by Jan Blachowicz in his debut in this heavier weight class.

Christopher Taylor - July 15, 2019

Michael Bisping did not take any pleasure from watching his former rival Luke Rockhold get knocked out by Jan Blachowicz earlier this month at UFC 239. Rockhold had his light heavyweight debut spoiled in brutal fashion by Blachowicz, who floored ‘Rocky’ with a punch in round two of their UFC 239 scrap.