Luke Rockhold is ready to return and make a statement.
Rockhold hasn’t competed since a brutal second-round knockout defeat to Jan Blachowicz in their light heavyweight contest back in the summer of 2019.
As he had done following previous losses, Rockhold took time away from the sport and showed no real interest in returning anytime soon.
However, nearly two years on from that setback and the 36-year-old is plotting his comeback.
“I’m trying to get that fire back, I want to come smash some heads,” Rockhold said in an interview with Mike Swick. “Body feels good, I’m walking around 205 pounds. Everything’s smooth, I just need to find some sucker to take the fight.”
Rockhold also plans on returning to his old division at 185 pounds as well after a failed light heavyweight debut against Blachowicz.
“That’s where I’m at right now,” Rockhold added. “Like I said, I’m walking at 205 pounds. For me, that’s where I feel good, that’s where I feel light, that’s where I feel comfortable. That’s where I’ve done my damage, won my world titles and I plan on doing it again.”
Rockhold Struggling To Land Opponent
The problem for Rockhold is he claims a number of top-10 fighters in the middleweight division have turned down a fight with him.
Eventually, he hopes to land an opponent, but it has to be something that excites him and the fans.
“We’ve been hunting down the list and trying to find something credible, something fun, something exciting,” Rockhold said. “I’m not just going to go fight anybody. I want something that gets me excited, gets the fans excited and has a little momentum. Something that makes somewhat of sense. I want to come back in and do this right.”
As per MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Darren Till is one name that interests the former middleweight champion.
“Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is actively pursuing his next fight according to multiple sources. From my understanding, he’s been seeking a ranked opponent but struggling to find any takers. One name I’ve heard Rockhold is interested in is Darren Till.”
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is actively pursuing his next fight according to multiple sources.
From my understanding, he's been seeking a ranked opponent but struggling to find any takers. One name I've heard Rockhold is interested in is Darren Till#UFC
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 12, 2021
That’s certainly a great fight, though, it remains to be seen whether Till can compete anytime soon.
You can watch the full interview below:
