Luke Rockhold doesn’t think Sean Strickland is too bright but he won’t discredit his ability inside the Octagon.
Rockhold and Strickland are expected to collide at UFC 268 this November. It’ll be Rockhold’s first bout since July 2019 when he was knocked out by current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jan Blachowicz. For Strickland, it’s a chance to defeat a former UFC Middleweight Champion and extend his winning streak to six.
During an appearance on MMAJunkie Radio, Rockhold went as far as to call Strickland “stupid” but realizes just how effective he is.
“As stupid as he looks and as stupid as he sounds, he’s effective. Probably because he’s so stupid. He just comes forward, he’s got confidence in himself, and he doesn’t question it, and that’s dangerous, for sure. I think he’s somewhat one-dimensional, and being able to expose that is key. He’s just tough – tough and confident. That’s a big problem for a lot of people, so you’ve got to take that confidence from him.
“You’ve got to put him in positions he’s not comfortable with and finish it. I think he’s average everywhere. He’s hasn’t got a great ground game. He doesn’t have great wrestling. Decent boxing. He doesn’t kick much, but he’s tough. He’s tough, and he’s not going to take no for an answer kind of thing. He doesn’t have quit in him. You’ve got to make him quit.”
Strickland hasn’t lost a bout since May 2018. He has been rising up the 185-pound rankings. As for Rockhold, he has seen better days in the UFC. He’s gone 1-3 in his last four outings. All three losses were by way of knockout.
Taking a look at the UFC middleweight rankings, Luke Rockhold is nowhere to be found. Sean Strickland currently holds the number eight spot. Strickland is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Uriah Hall.
