Ex-UFC champ Luke Rockhold hints that next career move imminent after BKFC 41 loss

Luke Rockhold may be finding a new home soon.

Rockhold, who commentated at Karate Combat 40 alongside UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten this past Saturday in Miami, has enjoyed the perks of life outside the UFC. The former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion parted ways with the UFC in 2022 after asking for his release, and he most recently competed in April when he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Mike Perry at BKFC 41.

After the fight, Rockhold confirmed that he wasn’t done fighting, although what would come next remained uncertain. Now Rockhold has a better idea.

“It’s the best,” Rockhold told Cageside Press of free agency. “You get the best of all worlds. I can fight wherever I want, and whatever appeals to me the most is where I’m gonna go. The opponent, the stage, the situation, and of course, the payday. But this is looking good.”

When asked about potentially signing with Karate Combat, 38-year-old Rockhold said there have been some discussions.

“We talked. You never know,” Rockhold said. “Talk is talk. Talk is talk, but I like to walk the walk. We’re talking. We’re not walking yet, but maybe we can get to run soon. We’re setting kick records, you know what I mean? Coming off the couch. Easy.”

Rockhold briefly retired after losing a Fight of the Night decision to Paulo Costa at UFC 278 in August 2022. However, his decision didn’t last long when he came out of retirement to face Perry in a bare-knuckle boxing match, which didn’t go his way.

The BKFC contract Rockhold signed gives him the freedom to do MMA, boxing, grappling or any combat sport other than bare-knuckle boxing.