Luke Rockhold vaults into title picture with win over Lyoto Machida
On Saturday night, Luke Rockhold joined a very selective group of men when he finished former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Along with the likes of former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and current champ Jon “Bones” Jones, Luke Rockhold became the third man to stop “The Dragon” in Machida’s 28-fight career.
Rockhold set the pace from the opening bell and met Machida in the middle of the Octagon for their UFC on FOX main event. When the fight was standing, Rockhold controlled the action and when it went to the ground, he showcased an unrelenting ground attack. Surprisingly, it did not take Rockhold very long to put Machida away. The end came at 2:31 of Round 2 as Rockhold sunk in a rear-naked choke after countless, unchecked punches from various positions.
Machida was swollen, bloody and utterly defeated – a rare sight for MMA fans. Those inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, were witness to a decisive win that not only put Rockhold on the national stage, it set him up for a divisional showdown with current middleweight champ, Chris Weidman.
“Look, I did my part. Weidman, you go do your part,” said Rockhold post-fight. “We’ll take this across the way and make history – Madison Square Garden!”
Rockhold is referencing MMA’s long and tumultuous relationship with New Jersey’s neighbor, New York. The sport has not been allowed into the Empire State – albeit amateur bouts are just fine – after nearly 20 years of organizations trying to convince them otherwise.
Where the next middleweight title shot happens is anyone’s guess (Weidman is set to defend his title against Vitor Belfort on May 23 in Las Vegas). Surely, East Coast fans (and the UFC) would love to see the holy grail of arenas be on their list of stops. However, there are other roadblocks standing in the way of a potential Rockhold-Weidman matchup at Madison Square Garden.
Rockhold looked impressive, yes, but there is also the current issue of the top-ranked Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, who is ranked higher in the official UFC polls. Souza also performed on Saturday’s FOX card – however, it was against a late replacement against a fighter he defeated years ago (and he won again).
Will the win over Machida push Rockhold over Jacare in the UFC’s eyes? Will the UFC make these two contenders battle it out while the division waits?
“Did you hear my walkout song,” said Rockhold, referencing his Karate Kid-inspired entrance, “I’m the best around!”
“I have confidence in myself. I know I can strike with the best guys in the world. I know where I am at; I know what I can do.”
