Luke Rockhold Explains Why He Isn’t Fighting Yoel Romero
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold hasn’t competed since surrendering his title in shocking fashion to Michael Bisping at UFC 199 last June, but he’s scheduled to make his return in the main event of UFC Fight Night 116 on Sept. 16, 2017 against former WSOF (World Series of Fighting) champion David Branch.
Many, however, were expecting Rockhold to be booked against fellow top contender Yoel Romero, who’s also coming off of a loss. Recently speaking with ESPN.com. Rockhold explained why he isn’t facing off with “The Solider of God”:
“I tried waiting for the right fight, but September is the most logical main event spot. I’m a five-round fighter. That’s what I fight,” Rockhold said. “That’s the true tell of a fighter. They wanted Yoel Romero, I said, ‘Yeah, let’s do Yoel Romero, September 16.’ His camp tried to delay, said they needed three more weeks for a three-round fight specifically.”
“I want to fight a five-round fight. That’s what it is. Everyone knows Yoel has problems going the five. I don’t. I’m not going to force a fight with a guy. I’m not going to leave it up to the judges. I’m going to be technical, I’m going to be solid and I’m going to fight a real man’s fight. There’s a reason championship fights are five rounds.”
As far as Bisping goes, “The Count” is expected to defend his title against the returning Georges St. Pierre this November at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but Rockhold feels as if should be stripped of his title due to the lack of top contender’s he’s faced:
“Bisping has fought nobody in the top 10 for the last year-and-a-half and still isn’t going to fight anybody in the top 10,” Rockhold told ESPN. “Where does that put him? I think they should pull the title from guys like that who don’t fight anybody at the top. They pulled the title from [Germaine de Randamie] because she wouldn’t fight the No. 1 contender. Why is this any f–king different?”
“We’ll see if Georges even makes it to the fight,” he continued. “The guy has been out for so long, who knows where his head or his body is at, or if he actually makes it to that date. I’m going to go out and do what I have to do and we’ll see where everything is at that moment in time.”
What do you make of Rockhold’s comments?
