Luke Rockhold speaks on Chimaev offer

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has voiced his opinions on Khamzat Chimaev turning down a fight against him.

“All respect, but i thought he would fight anyone”, Rockhold told Ariel Helwani. He stated that the pair were in talks to clash on multiple occasions in the near future. The first, an August 28th main event spot, and secondly a three round bout at UFC 265. Rockhold claims that the Russian prodigy declined in both instances, and has opted to stay at 170lbs, in contrast to jumping up to middleweight.

Chimaev’s hype has been built on his willingness to fight anyone, at any weight, no matter how short notice. He displayed this savage trait in 2020, as he dispatched of both Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert in just two weeks, picking up an impressive three dominant wins within the span of two months.

In the midst of fan and fighter backlash regarding his tendency to pull from fights, it is important to remember the role of COVID-19 in the situation. Chimaev contracted the virus just a few short months ago, and has been speculated to be suffering long term effects of the illness. So much so, in fact, that he opted to announce an early retirement in April.

Rockhold’s world class grappling would have made for an interesting clash, and it is no doubt a shame that us fans will not get to see the fight play out. However, with Rockhold making his presence felt in the MMA world as of late, the former champion will surely find a fitting replacement for a summer showdown. Meanwhile, Chimaev’s decision to stay at 170 seems a logical one, and we hope he continues his healing process as we await his highly anticipated return to action.