5 reasons why Luke Rockhold could trouble Paulo Costa
At UFC 278, Luke Rockhold will make his long-awaited return to the octagon. It has been three years since fight fans have had the pleasure of watching Rockhold fight. At one point in time, the AKA product seemed destined for a run as the UFC's next great middleweight champion.
He dethroned Chris Weidman in spectacular fashion, dealing the All-American a beating unlike any other: one that almost certainly led to a stark decline in Weidman's ability to absorb punishment. Yet, in an ironic twist of fate, Rockhold's chin seemed to suffer the same fate he had dealt Weidman. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu phenom lost his middleweight title to Michael Bisping by knockout in a shocking upset in his subsequent bout.
With no title defense to his name, Luke Rockhold bounced back against David Branch, only to suffer brutal knockout losses in his next two fights. Afterward, the former UFC middleweight champion took a sabbatical from the sport. Now, three years later, he is set to return against former title challenger Paulo Costa in the co-main event of UFC 278.
While many have written off Rockhold's chances against the Brazilian bruiser, this list outlines 5 reasons why he will prove to be a tougher foe for 'Borrachinha' than many expect.
#5. Rockhold's check hook
Luke Rockhold is not the best boxer in the middleweight division, but that is because he doesn't have to be. Still, he remains an intelligent striker with a keen awareness of his own limitations when it comes to striking.
For this reason, Rockhold is primarily a kicker. However, when his opponents opt to bypass his kicks by applying incessant forward pressure, the former UFC middleweight champion counters their overzealous approach with a check hook.
Rockhold's left hook was on point against Lyoto Machida. Watch the highlights below:
Luke Rockhold is an enormously powerful middleweight, and his check right hook is evidence of that. The AKA standout fully turns his hips into this punch, pivoting to pour as much of his body weight into the blow as possible. As a check hook, the punch acts as a counter to opponents who are eager to close the distance against him. Paulo Costa is one such foe.
Costa, by nature, is overaggressive, applying immediate pressure while neglecting his own defense. Worse still, The Brazilian's boxing consists almost entirely of hooks, meaning he is often in range to be countered since the short arc of a hook means that a fighter intent on landing a hook must stand close enough for their opponent to land a hook of their own. Due to this, Costa will willingly run himself into the check right hook that dropped fellow Brazilian Lyoto Machida.