Luke Rockhold focused, clear-thinking and calm before Lyoto Machida fight
Any fighter as successful as Luke Rockhold heads into competition with confidence. After all, the middleweight contender has won 12 out of his past 13 fights and three straight, all by finish.
Still, in his near eight-year pro MMA career, Rockhold has never faced an opponent as good as the man he'll fight in the main event of FOX UFC Fight Night this Saturday: Lyoto Machida. The former light heavyweight champion fought middleweight champion Chris Weidman as close as anyone ever has last year, and followed up that performance with a quick win over the tough CB Dollaway.
Next month Machida will turn 37, but he doesn't appear to be any less dangerous. To stack onto the importance of Saturday's main event for Rockhold, the fight is widely considered a No. 1 contender's bout for the 185-pound title. Whoever wins on Saturday should be next in line for the winner of Chris Weidman's title defense against Vitor Belfort next month.
Some fighters use high stakes and pressure to add internal motivation during training. Other times, fighters decide that context can only serve to distract them, and they insist on telling themselves and the world that the next huge fight is "just another fight." No one ever really believes fighters when they say this, but no one can blame them for trying to find a functional middle ground as they prepare for this extreme competition.
Several days before he was to take on Machida in New Jersey, Rockhold described a balanced mindset. "I'm aware of the stage that I'm on," he admitted, after a pause.
"At the same time, I'm prepared and so I'm confident like I would be for any fight. Machida is Machida. He's elusive, he's unpredictable. He's one of the best fighters in the world."
All that said, Rockhold seems certain that he will provide Machida with previously unencountered challenges as well. The Brazilian and Japanese former champion uses expert footwork to stay hard to hit.
Rockhold says that his own footwork will make the difference for him, however.
"I believe that if I do what I'm capable (of) out there," Rockhold said, "that I can take him out of his game and beat him completely."
If he does, Rockhold can't see any other follow-up than a title shot against the winner of Weidman vs. Belfort.
"I don't see what else there is out there for me if I beat Machida," he says.
Rockhold was knocked out by Belfort in 2013. The loss was the American Kickboxing Academy team member's first since a 2007 loss in his second professional fight.
Rockhold admits that he'd love another chance to beat Belfort, but he just wants to fight the best and become champion.
"It would be nice to get a rematch with Belfort," he said. "At the same time, I think Weidman is the best in the world. So, why wouldn't you want to fight the best fighter in the world for a title?"
Well, nonfighters can likely think of plenty of reasons not to get locked in a caged ring and fight the most dangerous combatants in the world, but Rockhold is no normal guy. The California fighter is one of the most well-rounded MMA fighters in the world and has steadily plied his trade for nearly a decade, amassing one of the most consistent records in the sport.
Now, he's nearly arrived at his moment to step up and break through to the next level. After a hard training camp, Rockhold is enjoying the relative ease and rest of cutting weight before the storm of competition Saturday.
"I'm definitely ready to fight," he said. "But, honestly, I've been training hard. It's been a grueling camp and I'm pretty beat up. I'm looking forward to a week of rest, now that the hardest work is done. I'm looking forward to resting up, feeling better and then showing the world what I can do."
The world will see come Saturday.
'I don't see what else there is' besides a title shot, Luke Rockhold says about what comes next if he can beat Lyoto Machida on Saturday.
