Rockhold vs Romero predictions and questions

[Luke Rockholds (?) kick]

Right to start of with this match up first Romero is a guy who may throw one at a time rarely if ever in combinations he is a conservative explosive fighter. He may shoot a double leg during the fight once a round and take the round off. He also if you decide to shoot a telegraphed shot with explode into a flying knee. You always have to be concentrated with Romero during the rounds. However Romero has shown to gas out after a round or two all those heavy muscles may play apart in his explosiveness but it comes at a price. Luke Rockhold is a decently high paced striker with good Jiu jitsu and takedown defence long reach good cardio. I suspect rockholds game plan will be to on his guard for the whole fight he will look to keep Romero at range and set him up for his striking traps. May scramble to take the back hooks. Interesting fight what's your take on the fight.

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

I think Rocksalt subs him in the second or third round...assuming he survives to the third round.

Want Yoel to win though, can't get enough Gay Jesus.

 

[george14]

Fuck it.

Rockhold KO1 via head kick.

 

[HUGHPHUG]

I could care less who wins, just want to see the fight

 

[VanMMA]

Yoel by KO within 2 rounds.

 

[HUGHPHUG]

If you can care less why do you only care moderately?

turn of phrase, don't be a dick

 

[KingBeef]

I just want to see a good fight with a brutal finish.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

1. Romero is tricky and powerful. he loses rounds waiting for that one or two exceptionally powerful strike. and he's very precise.

if you think Romero will eventually land, pick him.

2. Rockhold has a great top game. but Romero is (arguably) the best wrestler in MMA ever, and his transitions are sick. has he ever been on his back for longer than 5 seconds? i don't think so.

if you think Rockhold can get him and keep him down, pick him.

me, i cannot decide. i can see Romero losing 3 rounds to 2, like Whittaker. i can also see Romero KTFO'ing Luke. but i don't think Luke can get and keep Romero down long enough to get a sub.

 

[cyrusthevyrus]

Yoel by knee

 

[HUGHPHUG]

 

[Kirin]

1. Romero is tricky and powerful. he loses rounds waiting for that one or two exceptionally powerful strike. and he's very precise.

if you think Romero will eventually land, pick him.

2. Rockhold has a great top game. but Romero is (arguably) the best wrestler in MMA ever, and his transitions are sick. has he ever been on his back for longer than 5 seconds? i don't think so.

if you think Rockhold can get him and keep him down, pick him.

me, i cannot decide. i can see Romero losing 3 rounds to 2, like Whittaker. i can also see Romero KTFO'ing Luke. but i don't think Luke can get and keep Romero down long enough to get a sub.

Biggest difference for why this fight could most likely potentially look different from whittaker v. romero is that rocksalt does not have anywhere near the boxing (offensively or defensively) as the reaper, and he most certainly does not have the same level of chin as the australian; yoel is much more likely to put his lights out than he was vs the current mw champion.

 

[John makfresshi]

People think yoel has better scrambles then Luke? Rubbish, Luke has the best scrambling ability in MMA and any grappling exchange will finish with Luke in dominant position

 

[SeattleFightFan]

Biggest difference for why this fight could most likely potentially look different from whittaker v. romero is that rocksalt does not have anywhere near the boxing (offensively or defensively) as the reaper, and he most certainly does not have the same level of chin as the australian; yoel is much more likely to put his lights out than he was vs the current mw champion.

absolutely. keeping his hands low the way he does - especially when he rushes in - if he's not careful, Romero puts him out. and that's when Romero is dangerous, when his opponents rush in. Kennedy, Weidman and Machida (though he wasn't tired - just older and less....Machida) are all great examples of that.

 

[Frankie Baby!]

This is a very good, and interesting fight. What's gonna dictate the pace of the fight is the grappling, can Romero take Rockhold down, and can he hold him there without getting caught in a submission? Rockhold has very good Jiu-Jitsu, and Romero has Olympic medal level wrestling. I think that Luke can stuff the take downs, get in sprawl, and possibly submit him with guillotine, D'arce, Anaconda, etc. So I'll take Rockhold via Sub 3rd Round. I think Yoel will gas out , and go for a desperate take down, and get caught in a guillotine.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

People think yoel has better scrambles then Luke? Rubbish, Luke has the best scrambling ability in MMA and any grappling exchange will finish with Luke in dominant position

Luke Rockhold absolutely is a great scrambler and wicked from the top.

but Romero is not Chris Weidman.

Freestyle wrestling
Representing

Cuba
Olympic Games

2000 Sydney 85 kg
World Championships

1999 Ankara 85 kg

2002 Tehran 84 kg

2005 Budapest 84 kg

1998 Tehran 85 kg

2001 Krasnoyarsk 85 kg
Wrestling World Cup

1998 Stillwater -85 kg

2000 Fairfax -85 kg

2005 Tashkent -84 kg

1999 Spokane -85 kg

2004 Baku -84 kg

1997 Stillwater -85 kg
Pan American Games

2003 Santo Domingo 84 kg

1999 Winnipeg 85 kg
Pan American Championships

1998 Winnipeg -85 kg

2001 Santo Domingo -85 kg

2002 Maracaibo -84 kg

2004 Guatemala City -96 kg

2007 San Salvador -84 kg
​

and though the easy counter argument (i'll put it here so you don't have to) is "wrestling != mma wrestling". but Romero has been mma wrestling for a decade now.

it's not insulting to Luke if i say he has exceptional wrestling, transitions and top control.....and yet i'd bet even money he doesn't get Romero on his back for longer than 15 seconds.

but what the fuck do i know. it's anyone's guess. logical arguments supported by facts means nothing when the cage closes. cheers.

 

[cooks1]

Very tough one to call.

Luke has better cardio, but Yoel is very economical with his energy. I think Luke is probably the better stand-up fighter overall, though Yoel clearly has more power, and a much better KO resume.

The funny thing about Yoel is that if you watch his fights, he never seems to be dominating an opponent. In most of his KO wins, he is either even or behind on the scorecards when he gets the KO.

Tough one to call.

 

[theTKDguy]

I'm really interested to see how the fight plays out if it gets to the ground. Luke is a phenomenal grappler with a great top game and yoel is one of the best wrestlers to ever compete in mma and is so freaking explosive. I'm not expecting much about the standup in this one tho, neither has great striking imo. Luke does have good kicks, i expect him to keep the distance and pick him apart. Romero gets by on being explosive, but he doesn't have the resources (especially boxing) to really pose a threat to luke. Reach and height dissadvantage will be huge, then again, yoel could throw a flying knee out of nowhere and end the fight quickly. You can't count him out. Freak athlete.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

People think yoel has better scrambles then Luke? Rubbish, Luke has the best scrambling ability in MMA and any grappling exchange will finish with Luke in dominant position

oh and BTW, i also don't think Romero can hold Rockhold down either. like the Romero v Kennedy fight, i don't think this fight spends more than 20 seconds on the ground...and most of that will be whizzer type defense where neither fighter got the advantage. maybe one successful single leg.

again, just one humble opinion. cheers

 

[MakeSherdogGreatAgain]

Romero is exceptional at avoiding what Luke is best at. If Romero lands something, Luke could be in serious trouble. Before the Whittaker fight, I always thought Romero was the uncrowned king at mw. After that fight, I thought he was number 2. I still think he's number 2. Bisping wouldn't fight Romero for a reason. I got Romero, but Luke is my number 3 at mw and he could definitely pull something off.

 

[John makfresshi]

Luke Rockhold absolutely is a great scrambler and wicked from the top.

but Romero is not Chris Weidman.

Freestyle wrestling
Representing

Cuba
Olympic Games

2000 Sydney 85 kg
World Championships

1999 Ankara 85 kg

2002 Tehran 84 kg

2005 Budapest 84 kg

1998 Tehran 85 kg

2001 Krasnoyarsk 85 kg
Wrestling World Cup

1998 Stillwater -85 kg

2000 Fairfax -85 kg

2005 Tashkent -84 kg

1999 Spokane -85 kg

2004 Baku -84 kg

1997 Stillwater -85 kg
Pan American Games

2003 Santo Domingo 84 kg

1999 Winnipeg 85 kg
Pan American Championships

1998 Winnipeg -85 kg

2001 Santo Domingo -85 kg

2002 Maracaibo -84 kg

2004 Guatemala City -96 kg

2007 San Salvador -84 kg
​

and though the easy counter argument (i'll put it here so you don't have to) is "wrestling != mma wrestling". but Romero has been mma wrestling for a decade now.

it's not insulting to Luke if i say he has exceptional wrestling, transitions and top control.....and yet i'd bet even money he doesn't get Romero on his back for longer than 15 seconds.

but what the fuck do i know. it's anyone's guess. logical arguments supported by facts means nothing when the cage closes. cheers.

Romeros credentials are second to none. I've always loved and wanted this matchup. Also I believe Romero has adapted his game excellent to MMA. That said I think the size will give Rockhold the ability to hold down yoel easier then most will give him credit. Can't wait till the cage locks. Cheers sherbro