Luke Rockhold isn’t thinking about a return to MMA competition, but could that change?
Rockhold has had some ventures in combat sports post-UFC. He’s dabbled into the world of bare-knuckle boxing and Karate Combat with mixed success. Now, he will enter the boxing ring to take on a fellow ex-UFC star in Darren Till for Misfits Boxing 22.
Damon Martin of MMAFighting.com spoke to Rockhold ahead of his journey into the sweet science. The former UFC Middleweight Champion explained why a return to MMA isn’t on his radar, but he didn’t shut the door entirely.
“I don’t have to do anything,” Rockhold told MMA Fighting. “I do well. I’ve got a lot of good investments, I’ve got some money. I’m not rich by any means so it’s get rich or die trying. That’s what life is. That’s what the game is. But I love fighting. We all know what’s on the table. Beat a guy like Darren, you put yourself in the running for the big fights. There’s big, big, fights right here.
“To pass up those big fights [after] winning this, why the f*ck would I go back to MMA? There would have to be a big opportunity and a big reason. There would have to be title implications and there would have to be big money.”
At the age of 40, Rockhold is looking to cash out on big paydays if he’s expected to continue fighting. It explains why he’s taken on more of a freelancer role these days instead of sticking to one promotion. If Rockhold is able to find success against Till on Aug. 30, it could lead to more opportunities in the world of boxing. Of course, Karate Combat could also give him a call to return given his successful promotional debut against Joe Schilling last year.
We’ll see if Rockhold’s latest venture earns him more of the bouts he’s looking for in the future.