UFC Pittsburgh's Luke Rockhold: 'I'd Love To Go To Light Heavyweight'
UFC Pittsburgh's Luke Rockhold: 'I'd Love To Go To Light Heavyweight'
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is open to a move to light heavyweight.
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold isn't opposed to packing on a few pounds and testing the waters at 205.
Following his second-round victory over David Branch at UFC Fight Night 116 in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Rockhold caught up with the media in attendance and fielded questions.
When asked about future opponents, the conversation got interesting, as Rockhold dished on two middleweights before laying down the possibility to move to light heavyweight.
"Chris Weidman's lost three in a row, and it doesn't make much sense at this point," Rockhold said. "I'd rather not do that again at the moment.
"[Interim UFC middleweight champion Robert] Whittaker's a definite... He's a very interesting fight. I think he's the true champion right now, a man who fights the fights that count -- other than some poser up there running away with the belt."
Then came the light heavyweight goodies.
"I'll fight light heavyweight," Rockhold said. "The weight cut [for UFC Pittsburgh] was rough, I'm not going to lie. It always is... I got a little big this time. I usually don't get that big. I think I was like 206 or something going in. I'm usually like 201, 202. For some reason, I got a little heavy, so I had to feel it out in there. But I'd love to go to light heavyweight. I do really well in the gym, and it's more natural for me. I think I could do good things.
"But DC [UFC light heavyweight champion and Rockhold's teammate Daniel Cormier] is obviously the man right now in the division. I'm not going up until he gets out. If he goes up or if he retires, then you can damn well guarantee I'm coming up, but [there's] business to do here first."
Following his second-round victory over David Branch at UFC Fight Night 116 in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Rockhold caught up with the media in attendance and fielded questions.
When asked about future opponents, the conversation got interesting, as Rockhold dished on two middleweights before laying down the possibility to move to light heavyweight.
"Chris Weidman's lost three in a row, and it doesn't make much sense at this point," Rockhold said. "I'd rather not do that again at the moment.
"[Interim UFC middleweight champion Robert] Whittaker's a definite... He's a very interesting fight. I think he's the true champion right now, a man who fights the fights that count -- other than some poser up there running away with the belt."
Then came the light heavyweight goodies.
"I'll fight light heavyweight," Rockhold said. "The weight cut [for UFC Pittsburgh] was rough, I'm not going to lie. It always is... I got a little big this time. I usually don't get that big. I think I was like 206 or something going in. I'm usually like 201, 202. For some reason, I got a little heavy, so I had to feel it out in there. But I'd love to go to light heavyweight. I do really well in the gym, and it's more natural for me. I think I could do good things.
"But DC [UFC light heavyweight champion and Rockhold's teammate Daniel Cormier] is obviously the man right now in the division. I'm not going up until he gets out. If he goes up or if he retires, then you can damn well guarantee I'm coming up, but [there's] business to do here first."