Luke Rockhold is targeting an octagon return in June and eyes Paulo Costa as a potential opponent

Once the undisputed middleweight champion of the world, Luke Rockhold is determined to make his Octagon return in June this year.

The last time Rockhold was seen inside the octagon, he was standing across, against former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. He lost the fight by knockout in a brutal fashion back in 2019 and hasn’t made a return since.

Rockhold was also expected to fight Sean Strickland at UFC 268, however, the fight failed to come together after he suffered a herniated disc.

He has now set his sights on a fight against number 5 ranked middleweight contender for his return.

Speaking to Submission Radio, he said “It’s an option, it’s a very viable option. So, as long as terms are met, you know, we could have a dance,”

“I’m not here to fight fuc**g’ cheaters. So, if the weight is met, unless too much wine is consumed, you never know. Weight has to be met. There’s too many fuc**g’ weak-ass people trying to get advantages upon the game. And I’ve lost, I’ve killed myself to make weight and do things right. And can’t say the same for the rest of them. I ain’t going to do that again. I ain’t going to do that again and fight a guy that misses weight purposely to gain an advantage. Fuc* no.”

He added,

“It’s a guy that I don’t like, and I think he disrespects the sport and motivates me to f*cking correct it,” Rockhold said. “It’s a guy that’s obviously top-ranked somehow, someway, when he can’t even make weight. So typically, if anything, he should be ranked in the 205-pound division, right? I just don’t care for the guy. I tell you that: I don’t care for the guy. And I think it’s a fun fight. I think I can go show him the door. I think you have a guy that f*cking wants to make excuses on wine and weight, and his liver is obviously affected, so let’s f*cking go – let’s go munch on it.

“There’s a distance game I can play. There’s a lot to it. I think the guy, he’s like a duck. He can f*cking swim, he can fly, but he can’t do anything great. [via MMA Fighting]

Paulo Costa is on a two-fight losing run and the fight makes perfect sense for both fighters at this stage of their career.

“I want to end his life” Paulo Costa only wants a fight against Marvin Vettori

Paulo Costa has made his future intentions clear- The only fight that excites him is a rematch against ‘The Italian Dream.’

The pair finally met at UFC Vegas 41 after a week full of weight changes and constant back and forth. The bout was concluded in the light heavyweight division and Marvin got the better of Costa via unanimous decision.

He later claimed that he suffered a bicep tear while in camp for the fight and believes the fight would have gone differently otherwise.

During a recent interview with AG.Fight, he said, “I just said to let Dana White know. I’ll fight him now. It’s the only fight that interests me. No one else interests me. Unless if it’s for the title, but I’m no fool. I’m not stupid to consider (title shot) now. I want to fight him. He’s the only viable guy that interests me. If it’s not him, I’m not even interested in fighting. I let Dana White know that.” [via MMA Fighting]

Costa continued to add that he is enraged with Vettori and he has no respect for him.

“I don’t respect him,” Costa said of Vettori. “I want to end his life. He’s an ahole, a fool. He had this win over me and thinks he’s the man, but he’s an ahole, a child. We see he’s a goof, he can’t even wear shorts the right way. There’s a photo of him with his shorts backward, and he still thinks he’s the man. But I’ll fight him again. I mean, at least I plan to.” [via MMA Fighting]

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