Luke Rockhold claims he proved he's better than Paulo Costa and "almost everybody else out there" at UFC 278
At UFC 278, Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa delivered an outstanding co-main event showdown to the delight of everyone in attendance. The former Strike Force champion left everything in the octagon but came up short with Costa securing a decision win. Following the fight, Rockhold told Joe Rogan that he has decided to retire from mixed martial arts.
At 37, the California native reminded us just how good of a fighter he is to go toe-to-toe with a 31-year-old.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, the middleweight spoke about his feelings in the aftermath of the bout:
"I knew my avenue for success, and everything had to be perfect, I knew I was better than him. And whether I won or I didn’t, I think I proved to the world that I’m still better than him and almost everybody else out there.”
Check out Rockhold's MMA Hour interview below:
The former UFC champion explained how despite being bogged down by injuries, he chose not to postpone the fight. Returning to the octagon following a three-year hiatus and delivering an amazing fight at his age is why he most likely views himself as better than other fighters out there. Rockhold also believes that, in his prime he would’ve easily defeated the Brazilian.
The AKA mainstay also explained that the elevation in Salt Lake City hampered his performance. Be that as it may, Luke Rockhold signs off as one of the most memorable middleweight fighters we have from the UFC.
Luke Rockhold receives heartfelt tribute from former rival Michael Bisping following his retirement
Fans will recall the intense rivalry and constant back and forth shared between former middleweight champions Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping. The two fighters gave us some memorable fights, and as the 37-year-old walks off into the sunset following his loss at UFC 278, his former foe had something to share.
"I gave it my all ... I'm f---ing old."
Luke Rockhold was full of emotions as he announced his retirement after #UFC278 https://t.co/QsJvGcH2sB
In a recent upload to his YouTube channel, 'The Count' gave a genuine and touching homage to Rockhold when he said:
''Luke, whatever you're gonna do, enjoy. You've had a fantastic career. I think people still don't give him the credit that was due. But still, I do.''
Watch Bisping's tribute below:
Bisping believes that despite his great talent, Luke Rockhold was never given the recognition he deserved, a sentiment shared by fans too. Glancing through his record, we find that Rockhold fought big names like Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, Jan Blachowicz, Yoel Romero and Lyoto Machida, proving his worth as a champion and elite fighter.