Luke Rockhold: People are close minded, believe in hype train that is UFC

Luke Rockhold is now the No. 1 UFC middleweight contender, scheduled to fight champ Chris Weidman at UFC 194.

But there was a time not too long ago, he said, when he was pretty much a nobody in the eyes of UFC fans. Fighting current UFC middleweight standout Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in 2011 under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner, he might as well have been a regional show guy.

Rockhold had to work his way back up the rankings once he started fighting in the UFC.

“Look at us now,” Rockhold (13-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who faces Weidman (13-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) on Dec. 12 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, told MMAjunkie. “Myself, Yoel Romero, Tim Kennedy, ‘Jacare,’ we’re all the top guys in the division. There’s Weidman and the rest of us all from Strikeforce.

“People are close minded, and they believe in the hype train that is the UFC. They make people believe it’s the best, and is the best now.”

Rockhold could wind up with a title rematch on his hands if he’s able to beat Weidman. Souza (13-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) meets Romero (10-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the fight prior to the middleweight title match with the winner possibly advancing to a title shot.

Check out the above video to see why Rockhold has a little chip on his shoulder after transitioning promotions.

For more on UFC 194, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.