UFC News 2016: Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold Says 'All Signs Point To Rematch' Against Ex-Champ Weidman
Current middleweight champion Luke Rockhold sees no other option for his next fight other than a rematch with former champion Chris Weidman.
Rockhold ended Weidman's two-year reign and undefeated streak when they fought at the co-main event of UFC 194 last December 12 in Las Vegas. The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout won the fight via fourth round stoppage.
In his appearance on last week's Monday edition of The MMA Hour, Rockhold says Weidman is indeed is next best option.
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"All signs point to Chris Weidman," Rockhold told veteran mixed martial arts journalist and the show's host Ariel Helwani.
Recently, Weidman took on a more optimistic approach on his loss, saying it was a "blessing" in disguise. For his part, Rockhold did not understand where the former champion was coming from and did not believe that it was "God's will," like how Weidman put it.
"It's the simple fact that I'm better than him," Weidman said. "I'll beat him again and I'm going to put an exclamation mark on it next time."
Weidman may be in Rockhold's radar, as of the moment, but he also did not close his doors on the other possible match-ups at the 185-pound division that he could be bracing himself for.
Currently, the next in line based on the standings, taking Weidman out of the picture, are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and former heavyweight champion and mixed martial arts veteran Vitor Belfort. Both men are now slated to face each other at UFC Fight Night 88 on May 14th in Brazil.
The said fight could hold major title implications.
Rockhold already faced both Souza and Belfort: he won over the former in 2011 at Strikeforce, while he lost to the latter in May 2013 via a first round knockout.
Rockhold says he is more inclined to face Belfort if given the chance, especially since they fought when "The Phenom" was still on testosterone replacement therapy.
If he can beat Jacare, then I'd love to do it again," Rockhold says.
