Luke Rockhold tog tidigare hem bältet i mellanvikt när han segrade mot Chris Weidman under UFC 194 i december förra året. Han blev dock inte en långvarig mästare och förlorade sedan bältet till Michael Bisping när de möttes under UFC 199.
Rockhold har nu bestämt sig för att vänta på rätt matchning istället för att ta den första som han blir erbjuden. Under tiden kommer han att tjäna pengar på att jobba som fotomodell.
Det här berättade Rockhold via ”MMAFighting”:
I definitely want to fight, and I want to get back to that title and get my shot. So, it’s about making the right move next, and making it worth my while. I’m not going to just go out there and put my body on the line when I can get paid that much more in this world [modeling]. So, if they make it worth my while, I’d love to come back. This is what I love to do — I love to fight. But, it’s got to make sense.
Rockhold berättar att han inte känner sig bitter över förlusten.
You got to get over it. That’s the sport. I let my guard down, I prepared foolishly and I went in there with a bad mindset and I paid for it. I’ll pick myself up, I’ll rebuild myself as I always have and I’ll do what I need to do. I know what I’m capable of I just need to go out and fight with the mindset that got me here. And you can’t take anybody for granted. It was a mistake, and it won’t happen again.
Han har inte heller några problem med UFC:
I have a good relationship with the UFC for sure. It’s just, they’re always going to…it’s business, they’re going to make things to their advantage, of course. Try to take advantage of certain things and put you in a place and do what they can. That’s business, that’s how it is. And guess what, I’ve got my own business on the side and I can stand my ground too. I can take some time off.
I’m a fighter at heart, but I’m here to get paid, so if there’s more potential [in modeling], I’ll take it. And we’re talking big numbers, so I could laugh and let my body heal and wait for the time’s right to come back and fight when it makes sense.
UFC 205 äger rum i Madison Square Garden i New York i november och Rockhold skulle gärna vara med på kortet om han får ett bra erbjudande.
But at the same time, if I’m going to go put my body [on the line], and put off deals in [the modeling] world, it’s got to make sense in my world. If I’m going to put down deals that are worth more than I’m fighting for and I’m avoiding a shoot or something I need to do, it just doesn’t make sense. I’m going to go beat my body down and put myself through hell. I love the reward at the end, but the reward’s got to be worth it.
Rockhold var tidigare inställd på en direkt retur mot Bisping, som härnäst kommer att försvara bältet mot Dan Henderson under UFC 204 i England.
