“I don’t like his character, I’m not fond of the dude, and it is a massive test. I want a f****** killer! I want one of the biggest killers in the game; otherwise, I’m going to hang it up.
“I’m not here to exist in this sport,” he added. “I’m going to go conquer new worlds, I guarantee that, so right now, it’s doing myself the honor and the privilege to go out there and compete without any of this other bulls*** and anyone else’s bulls*** weighing on me; this is just me.”
Anyone that watched Rockhold compete when he was climbing the ranks in Strikeforce or ascending to the top of the UFC middleweight division can attest to the fact that physically, athletically, and skill-wise, he was in a rare class — an elite talent with fluid striking and good power, world-class jiu jitsu and grappling, and the kind of self-belief that made him undeniable.
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But then it got away from him.
He lost the title, lost himself, and lost his love for the sport.
He’s spent the last few years on a quest to find it again, and he has, and now he’s ready to see if he can once again unlock the access codes that previously made him the best in the world one more time.
“If I unlock that access code, they’re all f*****!” he said with a laugh, though completely serious. “I’m here, I’m ready, I’m sharp as ever, and nobody can compete with me in so many areas of this sport. Once I turn on, it’s over for everybody. It’s just a matter of accessing that code and getting to those areas.