Luke Rockhold and Jacare are the only two Strikeforce guys left to make a big impact on the UFC. Currently, the Strikeforce Invasion (as I’ve taken to calling it) has gone pretty damn well — the Strikeforce guys have won 17 of their 33 matchups, with just a few more of their fighters left to make debuts. Now, Strikeforce middleweight champ, Luke Rockhold, is ready to make a Vitor Belfort-sized dent in the Octagon in his debut.
Normally, facing Vitor Belfort in Brazil wouldn’t be the best way to introduce yourself, but Luke Rockhold thinks he’s more of a man than Vitor due to the legend’s TRT use and… Other substances, and he wants to head down to Brazil to prove his point, and get a title shot out of it.
Here’s what Luke said to MMA Fight Corner about Vitor, his TRT and his Strikeforce cohorts making a name for themselves of the spilt blood of the incumbent UFC fighters.
“Cormier won – he beat a top contender in the UFC. Josh Thomson beat another top UFC fighter. And I think Gilbert Melendez won that fight for the title. And then you have Pat Healy coming in and beating up Jim Miller, so it’s like all our top guys against their top guys we’re winning fights. And obviously they’re winning some fights too, but it’s the same caliber of fighter.”
“I’m focused on Vitor, but I don’t see how [a win] couldn’t warrant a title shot. I mean, Gilbert got an immediate title shot. I’ve defended my belt twice and taking out a top contender like Vitor, why wouldn’t I?”
“I think my advantages is everywhere really. Vitor will always have fast hands, he has good power, but I pose a lot of problems myself. I’m a longer fighter, I have better kicks than him. I believe my advantages are on the ground, in wrestling, in the distance in the stand up. I have plenty of ways to win this fight. And most of all, I got more heart than Vitor. I think I’m more of a man than Vitor.”
“I think it’s a crock of s*** personally. I don’t understand it,” Luke said of Vitor’s TRT exemption. “I think Nevada set the standard for most of the other states. And it’s like the NBA and Baseball, if they travel overseas, they’re not going to be permitted to use steroids just because they’re overseas. I think it’s just crap. But at the same time, if they’re not going to punish him, I will. And I believe it hurts you in more ways than it helps you.”
“I’m fired up about it. It just fuels me even more. It just motivates me to train and it just puts a little chip on my shoulder. I’m pushing myself like nobody else. It sounds like I’ve got lots of fans out there and once I beat Vitor, obviously, I’ll bring everybody to my side. From what I hear, a lot of Brazilians don’t like Vitor. They don’t like his cheating ways and I’m getting a lot of support on social media from Brazilians. So, I’m excited. I get a free trip to Brazil, I get paid, and I get to kick someone’s ass.”
I’m perfectly fine with the winner of Vitor/Rockhold getting a fight against Anderson. I mean the winner of Anderson/Weidman.
