Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman will be going up against each other this coming December 12th. This fight, however, may not be a surprise for Rockhold. The MMA fighter revealed that he saw this fight coming ever since the both of them stepped inside the octagon. And since the both of them have been in the industry for quite some time now, Rockhold revealed that he knows how to play Weidman mentally each and every time.
“I’ve known Weidman for a long time, before we were both in the UFC. When I was a Strikeforce Challengers guy on the way up and he was on the way up (2009-2010), I saw him as a prospect. I never thought he was that good (at the time), but he was tough and his wrestling was good. Maybe it’s the confidence I have in myself. I think I’m the guy who is going to be his superior. I bring everything he’s going to have trouble with,” Rockhold said.
Rockhold further admitted that there was always something off between the two of them.
“There’s always been tension between me and Weidman. We’ve known each other this whole time. I knew the fight was going to come and he knew it was going to come, just we didn’t know when and where. Now it’s come, and it’s for the world title on one of the biggest shows ever,” he added.
Now that the fight against Weidman is coming up for real, Rockhold said that he can already picture out how he would beat Weidman and finally put an end to his title reign of more than two years.
“I understand the magnitude of what’s ahead, but a fight’s a fight. I’ve watched the tapes of Weidman and it’s becoming that much more real, but it’s just a fight. I visualize every day putting myself in that arena and walking that walk. He’s got a decent fight IQ, until he gets hit. If things don’t go his way, he sacks up and bites down on his mouthpiece and tries to be a tough guy. That’s where he’s really going to find trouble. I’m going to push him to that point, I’m going to outclass him, dominate him and finish him. Almost every time I see the fight, it comes out that way. I play it over-and-over in my head,” Rockhold said.
Weidman, on the other hand, looks like he has already a plan on how to go about the fight. Rockhold said that he found out the current middleweight MMA champion is walking around at 192 pounds ten days before the fight, which way more lighter than usual. He said that his weight, which is 202 pounds days before the fight, will be an advantage for him when steps inside the octagon.
“I’m looking forward to throwing him around, all 192 pounds of him,” said Rockhold.
There were some analysts who suggest that releasing an info like this might be a psychological strategy against him. He doesn’t think this is the case though.
“He’s not one to lie, he doesn’t make up things, he’s not that type of person. For him to say that, I don’t think his nutritionist understands anything about fighting,” he said.
Rockhold further said that Weidman would definitely feel something’s wrong if that weight is not good for him.
“If something wasn’t going right in camp, he’d feel it, but that’s a light weight for him. I don’t think he’s ever fought that light. I think people will be surprised when I stand next to him. He’s going to look pretty small, especially now,” he added.
