Luke Rockhold Proclaims He’s Still a “Problem” For UFC’s Best

Due to Luke Rockhold’s recent setbacks in the cage, and because he wasn’t sure if he’d fight again, you don’t hear his name mentioned as much these days in discussions about contenders.  But, as the former middleweight champ plans to fight again, Rockhold’s has proclaimed that he remains one of the planet’s best fighters.

Rockhold says he’s still a “problem”

Following Rockhold’s knockout loss to Yoel Romero in 2018, he announced he was moving up to light heavyweight. As a result of his accomplishments, and his abilities, there was a lot of talk at the time about Rockhold facing Jon Jones.

All that buzz, however, came to an abrupt halt last July, as Blachowicz also KO’d Rockhold. After the loss, which was Rockhold’s third stoppage defeat in his last four fights, he relayed he may not fight again. 

More recently, however, Rockhold has announced that he’s coming back to the UFC. While it remains to be seen when and who the 35-year-old will face, Rockhold sounds pretty confident that another title shot run is in his future.

While talking to MMA Fighting recently, Rockhold made the following proclamation.

“Everything’s coming back together. It’s motivating seeing the current climate of what’s going on out there. I think it needs a little push, it needs some excitement itself.”

“I feel being healthy and with a clear mind with nothing on my shoulders, I’m a problem for every one of these guys,” Rockhold said.

“I’m not done. I don’t feel like I’m done,” Rockhold said. “I feel like I have a lot more in me. I enjoy fighting. When I’m in the gym, I’m still the best motherf**ker there.

“It’s about fighting, stepping into that cage with a clear head and healthy body and taking out whoever’s in front of me.”

And while discussing his health, the decorated fighter reported the following:

“I’m getting there,” Rockhold said. “My shoulder’s coming around. I opted to do this shoulder surgery. I had an opportunity to get that done during COVID. Coming around that and everything else is feeling pretty good.

Just letting the hands and the wrist and all that [without the] impact of continually punching and cracking and missing. It’s nice.”

Another championship run?

You can understand why some people may be skeptical about Rockhold’s abilities at this juncture to win another UFC title. After all, he’s moving out of his prime years and he has been taken out in three of his last four fights.

But, it would be silly to write him off as a contender right now, especially if he returns to middleweight. That said, if Rockhold takes another KO loss next time out, then questions about his decision to keep fighting will spike.