Luke Rockhold might retire.

[SirKratos]

Thanks for all the memories Luke

What about Luke vs. Chris? Oh wait you're just a hater

 

[FlyingDropKick]

Was never a fan of a guy who was that cocky even after getting KOed stiff by Bisping. Saying his last 2 cuts were hard is such a bitch move considering he just mvoed to LHW and said before the Jan fight that he had the best cut ever. This guy got all the karma he deserved.

 

[Fwaming Dwagon]

What a waste of talent honestly. Dude had all the tools, couldn't compensate for that glass chin being a magnet to left hooks. Sad.

 

[The XL]

He better make his modeling money now, his face is aging badly and he'll be norwood 7 in a couple of years.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Well not cutting weight didn't fix his chin like everyone said it would so maybe going to Bellator will!

I am just trying to get on the same level.

 

[Egészségére!]

the dude didn’t age well it’s like he went from 25 to 45 over night

but prime Strikeforce Luke was awesome

 

[Axe720]

Was kinda hoping to see him and Smith mix it up, but I can't blame the guy if he does choose to walk away. I really thought he was going to go on a legendary run after he dethroned the Chris, but man things can change fast in MMA.

 

[Darius0995]

Always felt that he had a lot more to offer. He was never the same after the Bisping defeat.

 

[theTKDguy]

it would be stupid as hell not to.

he needs the Rogan/schaub talk treatment forreal

getting knocked out 5+ times when you dont even need to fight to make money and already have fallback options is just retarded. hes been champ. let it go. CTE is no joke.

/

Luke can make a living doing other stuff. He shouldn't return.

 

[Reapzz]

WEak wrestling and not very good at dodging punches or keep his hands up. Strange how some very good fighters can't seem to hone the several things they need to be truly elite.

 

[Fist As A Verb]

Thank god, man. His chin is gone, and he probably shaved several years off his life span after those KO's. It seemed like he was making better money, or had better endorsements, outside the cage. In an alternate universe I could see him finding continued success fighting. It's just not worth the risks anymore. Still, I wish him the best of luck.

 

[Wicked_1]

He needs to hang them up really. His chin is gone, he gets hit a lot, fuck that shit. He has good income from other sources so no need to go get knocked out again. The romero punch when he was on dream street was a tough one. He basically unloaded on him knowing he was not there. Luke was never the same. Then he goes and kisses on him and spreads his word of god...to a not there luke..was messed up.
They shouldn't do interviews with guys that just hot knocked out, and they shouldn't allow a fighter to do anything more than say good fight. Or respect..whatever. no touching bodys, no kissing, hugging..hes not there...leave him alone and get him backstage with the drs..
Luke could have been great, had the tools, but those brutal knockouts hes went thru as of late and for the last couple years are just too much to come back from so soon. He needs a really long layoff to actually get fully recovered in all ways. His chin will never be good. He can still train etc and hang with the guys, just dont fight. Grappling good, no strikes...so go for it.

 

[DanAxe]

A fight with Anderson Silva or Shogun would be fantastic.

 

[It Just Is]

Imagine Luke with good takedowns. He'd be unstoppable with his top game.

He would be. But, a much easier and holistic fix to his overall game would be to improve his striking defense. Luke is an opportunistic grappler, where in scrambles he ends up on top and finishes the fight. Besides Jacare and theoretically a guy like Jones or DC, not many are getting off of or putting Luke in a disadvantaged spot once the fight gets there.

If Luke could just exploit desperation shots or scrambles, not lunge in with his hands down and not look lazy with his hands, he'd be a much better fighter. What happened is that his reflexes slowed or he got too heavy. Since he never developed appropriate defense or footwork, his game stagnated while his senses worsened.

It happens, but vets rely on their skills and experience to compensate for a reduction is physicality. That sweet spot is what we'd call a prime. But, Luke got full of himself and squandered his window of opportunity to evolve and adapt before his tales and habits became destructive and exploitable. A guy like him has a lot of tape on him from being in the game so long. Big, long guys with kicks and reach aren't the boggie man anymore.

 

[nhbfan8080]

A former UFC champion is leaning toward calling it a career.

Luke Rockhold, who won the middleweight title in 2015, told ESPN on Thursday night that he is considering never fighting again.
"I have no interest in fighting right now," Rockhold said.
.............

Looks like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop. Luke Thomas did a nice piece on how Rockhold's style has changed for the worse and now by the way Rockhold is talking it doesn't look like he's gong to improve anytime soon. Maybe its due to injuries, burnout, whatever but to me, it looks like he is done.

 

[true_fan]

Good riddance

 

[true_fan]

A fight with Anderson Silva or Shogun would be fantastic.

Another 2ko’s guarantee come on bro

 

[Drain Bamage]

A former UFC champion is leaning toward calling it a career.

Luke Rockhold, who won the middleweight title in 2015, told ESPN on Thursday night that he is considering never fighting again.

"I have no interest in fighting right now," Rockhold said.

When asked if it was possible he might never fight again, Rockhold replied, "Very."

The 35-year-old added that he doesn't like "closing doors," meaning he was unlikely to make a traditional retirement announcement anytime soon, but made it clear a return to the UFC was not in his future plans.

In July, Rockhold suffered a second-round knock out by Jan Blachowicz in what was his light heavyweight debut. Rockhold suffered a broken jaw in that fight, he said, which required surgery and the insertion of a titanium plate. His jaw was initially wired shut for five days following surgery, Rockhold told ESPN.

Following the loss, UFC president Dana White, who urged Rockhold to retire at the UFC 239 postfight news conference, said that was the second time Rockhold had broken his jaw in a fight; however, Rockhold told ESPN it was actually his first time. When Yoel Romero knocked him out in 2017, Rockhold said his four lower front teeth "got bent in."

"I never had as much of a cut my entire career before my last two fights," he said.

Despite his time away from fighting, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion is keeping busy. In addition to his budding modeling career -- he has been the face of campaigns for Polo Ralph Lauren -- Rockhold said he'll be filming a movie in Saskatchewan, Canada, next month; starting an education company; and is in talks to compete in grappling matches. He also recently competed in steer wrestling in Whitefish, Montana, and took second place.

Rockhold (16-5) was once considered one of the best fighters in the world. He debuted in 2007 and gained notoriety in 2011, when he defeated Ronaldo Souza to win the Strikeforce middleweight title. He won the UFC 185-pound belt when he defeated Chris Weidman at UFC 194, but subsequently lost it in his next fight, in June 2016, when he was knocked out in the first round by Michael Bisping in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

Rockhold returned to form in September 2017 by stopping David Branch in the second round, but that would prove to be his most recent victory to date. His next two fights were knockout losses to Romero and Blachowicz.

In addition to the losses, Rockhold has battled numerous injuries over the years, most notably a recurring shin injury that required a skin graft, which contributed to his 511-day layoff between his past two fights.

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...-fight?platform=amp&__twitter_impression=true

Wow, most of AKA's talent is gonna be gone soon.

Cain and DC on the way out. Luke not far behind. And who knows how many more times Khabib will fight.

 

[eighterumg5]

At least he can fall back on his modeling.

No homo....

Those pants are ridiculous

 

[Guy LeDouche]

Wonder if he’s the one who leaked those Demi photos?