Luke Rockhold is confident he has the style to dethrone UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Rockhold, who hasn’t competed since his knockout loss to current light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in July 2019, hopes to make his return to the octagon in 2021.
Luke Rockhold sees Israel Adesanya as an easy opponent for him
The former middleweight champion is finally healthy and says he’s having difficulty landing a ranked opponent. Rockhold would like to face Adesanya, who is coming off his first career blemish against Blachowicz, where he was knocked down several times in the fight.
“I know what Israel is capable of. I’ve been studying Israel for a long time,” Rockhold told ESPN. “I appreciate his style, but I think he can be beaten in a lot of ways. I don’t think many guys can fight him from the outside like I can. If I stay relaxed and stay on the outside, it’s a game I can play and then if we get into the takedowns, I’ll do a lot better than Jan.”
Having lost three of his last four fights, Rockhold is aware that many people have already written him off from title contention. However, after taking time off and nursing numerous injuries, Luke feels rejuvenated and ready to prove everyone wrong.
“I’ve always had detractors, I’ve always had enemies, but there are more and more of them. The sport has become more and more popular in recent times and everyone has their own opinion. They’re entitled to their opinion, but it’s my job to rewrite that opinion and show them who the hell I am. I’m coming back because I know what I’m capable of. I just have to focus and be the guy I know I am. The division is ripe for the taking and Israel is what’s motivating me right now.”
Before he can even think about Israel Adesanya, Luke needs at least one win against someone in the top 5. According to Rockhold, the likes of Darren Till, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori and several others have shied away from a fight against him.
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