Luke Rockhold is starting a fresh journey in his fighting career with Karate Combat.
Recently, news broke that Rockhold will join a reality show for Hardcore Fighting Championship, to be filmed in Dubai soon. Joining him as a coach is Tyron Woodley, another former UFC champ. While fans speculated about a possible match between Rockhold and Woodley at the season’s end, it seems unlikely. Rockhold confirmed that his next fight will be with Karate Combat on April 20th in Dubai.
Luke Rockhold vs. Joe Schilling is set for Karate Combat 45 on April 20th in Dubai. #KC45 | @KarateCombat pic.twitter.com/95rNjkUxJk
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) March 27, 2024
Luke Rockhold Joins Karate Combat Roster After UFC Stint
He’s gearing up for his debut against MMA and kickboxing veteran Joe Schilling in Dubai on April 20. Schilling, aged 40, has competed in MMA, boxing, and Muay Thai/kickboxing. His best record is in kickboxing, where he won 23 matches and lost 9. He’s known for his strong elbows, but they’re not allowed in Karate Combat.
Rockhold is mostly known for his strong top control and submission grappling skills. He had a great 14-2-0 record in MMA before becoming the champ by defeating Chris Weidman in 2015. However, he lost the title right after to Michael Bisping in a big upset. After that, Rockhold lost three out of his next four UFC fights and was TKO’d by Mike Perry in BKFC.
Rockhold is joining Pettis and Henderson, former UFC champs who’ve fought in Karate Combat. Pettis beat Henderson in a big match last December.
After a tough battle against Paulo Costa in his last UFC fight, the American fighter got back some recognition. But things took a turn when he lost to Perry in BKFC, retiring after his teeth got knocked loose in the match.
Rockhold will face off against Schilling at Karate Combat 45 in Dubai, and we can expect to hear about more fights in the weeks ahead.
