An abortion and a ‘big breakup’ caused Luke Rockhold to reevaluate his life, resume UFC career

An abortion and a ‘big breakup’ caused Luke Rockhold to reevaluate his life, resume UFC career

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Luke Rockhold has some very personal reasons for resuming his fighting career.

Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), a former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, is scheduled to step back in the octagon for the first time since July 2019 when he takes on Paulo Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) on Aug. 20 at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City.

A case of burnout caused Rockhold to step away for the better part of three years following a knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz. He was content with how his life was going until February of this year when a significant relationship dissolved in a painful way, causing him to reevaluate key elements.

“I know it’s not a popular subject right now, but I did have an abortion, and I did have a big breakup,” Rockhold told MMA Junkie. “There was a lot committed in trying to – you know, I’m 37 and wanting that, needing that and then it all falling apart, it hurt. It definitely was a big turning point in realizing where my life was and where I’m going. Having a kid on the way and prepping for that and carrying the weight of the kid and another, it weighs on you, to where you want to put yourself in that place later in life. Having to make that decision, a lot of things just weren’t right. There wasn’t a lot of truth on both sides, on either side, and it just f*cked me up.

“And it made me f*cking transition and change my life for the better. Ever since then really, I’ve been sober. I think Super Bowl weekend was that, and the week after was sobriety.

“So, I want what I want, and I want it all. That was that. I want this f*cking thing, and every part of me wants this, and I’m not going to do anything that’s going to compromise that come that day. I’ll do more than Paulo Costa, and I’ll do more leading up to that point, and I’ll do more in the cage. And I’ll keep doing more after.”

Giving up alcohol and ‘a blessing in disguise’

Rockhold clarified that his turn to sobriety wasn’t the product of an unhealthy drinking habit. He made the decision to cut alcohol purely because he knows that, at his age, he needs to be extremely disciplined to ensure he gives himself the best chance of victory at UFC 278.

“I’m not saying sobriety – I’m just not drinking,” Rockhold said. “Yeah, I was drinking a bit much, and I was enjoying myself a bit too much. It’s what happens. It’s just not helping. I know that I’m 37 years old, and I want to give every bit of my focus to that. And one glass of wine leads to another, and it’s just like my body doesn’t like it. When I’m training, my body doesn’t like alcohol, so I’m not going to drink alcohol.”

Rockhold originally was scheduled to fight Costa on July 30 at UFC 277. The Brazilian requested a delay, however, and the date was shifted back three weeks. The change would’ve frustrated a lot of fighters, but given Rockhold already has been out of action for more than three years, he took it in stride.

“Everything is a blessing in disguise,” Rockhold said. “It gives me more time to prep. I took that hiatus, that leave of absence, and you burn out. Everyone can burn out in this sport. In any sport, but especially in fighting. Coming into the gym every day and fighting people, sometimes you just hit a wall. Fifteen years in the sport, 14 years – I needed to take a break. Take two or three years away. I have that hunger. I have that will. I want to watch my sparring. I want to watch my opponents. My last few fights, I wasn’t even f*cking watching film. I wasn’t watching myself. I wasn’t eager to get home and turn on f*cking Fight Pass and do my homework. I’m f*cking hungry, and I want it, and my body feels great.”

‘I can make this fight look easy’

Despite no wins on his resume since September 2017, Rockhold said he enters UFC 278 with extreme confidence. He’s leaving no stone unturned in his preparation, and he’s been splitting training camp between coach Jason Parillo in Southern California, American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, and Sanford MMA in Florida.

Although Costa has proven to be a heavy hitter at 185 pounds, Rockhold said he thinks he can force his opponent into his style of fight and find a clear path to victory.

“There’s an easy fight, and there’s a hard fight,” Rockhold said. “I really, truly think I can make this fight look easy. If I go out there and fight present – not focused on anything else and just letting myself go and I get that flow state – I’m going to smoke this fool. He’s too tit-for-tat. He’s too bulky. He looks for breaks, and if I just take myself and execute, I’m going to finish him. He wants to go kick for kick from the outside – he can’t reach me from the outside. And he’s f*cked if we go to the ground.”