Luke Rockhold has been eyeing a move up to light-heavyweight for some time now and after watching Jon Jones dismantle Alexander Gustafsson to take the title at UFC 232 he now believes he’s got what it takes to defeat the champion.
“I thought he looked beatable,” Rockhold told TMZ Sports. “He’s good on the feet, he’s tactical, Jon, he adjusts and he fights to his advantages. I like my advantages versus his. He’s great, he’s good everywhere, but I don’t think he’s the most technical on the feet. I don’t think he’s got the most power.
“I’m a different man at this weight, the power behind me. I’m moving up to get after him, so that’s what I’m here for.”
A former middleweight champion, Rockhold had a disappointing 2018 campaign, suffering a knockout loss to Yoel Romero in February and then having to take the rest of the year out due to injuries, but he says he’s fit now and is ready to show what he can do in his new weight class.
“Health-wise I’m finally back to health, it feels good to fight at my natural weight,” Rockhold said. “The last couple of years, I’ve been compromising myself to get down to ‘85 and my body just falls apart in training camp the last few weeks to get your body fat so low. I’ve never felt so bad at my last fight during the weight cut.
“So it feels right, I feel healthy, I feel comfortable, I’m excited to take down these light heavyweights. I just don’t see a lot there.”
