Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold put Jake Paul on blast for “trying to fight little dudes.”
Rockhold was last seen in action against former title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 278 last August. The 38-year-old returned to action after a three-year hiatus in the hopes of inching closer to the title. He put up a competitive effort but gassed out early in the fight after breaking his nose. Eventually, Costa worked his way to the distance to get the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
As for Rockhold, he announced his retirement following the defeat but earned major praise from the community for his gritty performance.
Luke Rockhold rips Jake Paul for calling out Nate Diaz & challenged him to a fight
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Luke Rockhold shared his thoughts on Jake Paul calling out former UFC star Nate Diaz.
“Stop trying to fight little dudes, man,” said Rockhold. “They’re a 155-pounder, you’re a middleweight.”
“If you want to fight a middleweight, I got hands. We could do anything we want. I really don’t care. I beat that guy in my sleep. I got some freedom to do some things. As you can see, I like throwing hands these days. This kid needs to stop calling out like do you want to do it really or just talk about building the fights where the best fight the best and all this sh*t you talk about. Here’s the thing, fight people your own f**king weight. Straight up.
“And champions, a real champion, a real contender, a real someone who can put you on your f**king a** and not old guys. Old guys like 50-year-olds or lightweight that you can’t even get above a welterweight. Step up.”
Rockhold wants Paul to step up for a real fight
Now that Rockhold is out of the UFC, he suggested a clash with ‘The Problem Child’ made more sense. He believes it’s time for Paul to level up in competition and face him inside the boxing ring.
“I just want to smack up. I want to do the right thing with the right people and show the right fights, who the real fighters are. You find the right time. You pick and choose your fights. It’s time to step it up. You want a real fight? I think we can work something. I got some freedom to do some things these days.”
Jake Paul recently joined forces with PFL and has been on the hunt for a fight with Diaz both in the octagon and the squared circle. Reports indicate he will likely compete against Tommy Fury next and an official announcement is expected to come in the near future.
