UFC on Fox 15 Results: 3 Fights for Luke Rockhold to Take Next

The expectation heading into UFC on Fox 15’s main event between Luke Rockhold and Lyoto Machida was that it would be a tight, ultra-competitive affair. Both men appeared, at least on paper, to be evenly matched.

Not so much, as it turns out.

The Brazilian started the fight promisingly enough, connecting with several bravado-inducing shots to his foe’s almost comically chiseled chin. His success was short-lived, however.

Rockhold capitalized on a minor slip and proceeded to maul Machida on the floor for the next four minutes, landing vicious strikes in between frequent transitions and submission attempts.

By round’s end, the former UFC light heavyweight champion was in a daze, stumbling back to his stool with the aid of his corner. In truth, few would have objected to the appearance of a towel at this point. But Machida did as fighters most often do, continuing on in the face of vanishingly small odds.

Mercifully, we didn’t have to wait long for the inevitable stoppage. Rockhold wasted little time in taking Machida to the ground and sinking in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.

In light of such an impressive performance, anything less than a title shot would be a disappointment for Rockhold. Then again, given the unpredictable nature of MMA, few would confidently plot the path of any fighter.

With that said, let’s go ahead and speculate on Rockhold’s immediate future anyway, dear readers.

The most obvious—and most likely—next stop for Rockhold is a crack at middleweight champion Chris Weidman.

It’s a mouth-watering prospect, no doubt. Unfortunately, Weidman first has to take care of a TRT-less Vitor Belfort at UFC 187. Probably. OK, maybe. The fight has been subject to so many delays that I’d give you decent odds on at least one of them blowing out a knee, breaking a hand, dislocating a shoulder, contracting bird flu, etc.

Injuries and withdrawals are so prevalent in MMA that Rockhold could find himself competing for the title next month.

Should the fight come to pass, it’s another pick 'em. It’s difficult to identify a major advantage for either man. That the contest would be anything less than compelling is unthinkable, though.

Another possibility for Rockhold is a rematch with Vitor Belfort. It’s clear from recent interviews that the 30-year-old remains bitter about his loss to the Brazilian back in 2013.

However, with Belfort now deprived of his “medication” and looking a little frail—relatively speaking—it’s difficult to imagine him unseating the champion. But in the event he pulls off an upset next month, a second meeting with Rockhold has an intriguing built-in storyline. And from a matchup perspective, the fight is unlikely to disappoint.

Anything can happen in MMA, both inside and outside of the cage. So, would you bet on the winner of UFC 187’s co-main event remaining injury-free?

In the event the champion is unavailable to defend the title, Rockhold’s only option may be a rematch with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

The pair fought for the Strikeforce middleweight title back in 2011, with Rockhold coming away the winner. But given the huge improvements made by both fighters in the subsequent four years, it’s difficult to read too much into that encounter.

However, one imagines that the UFC would be a little reluctant to put the fight together and eliminate a top contender. I'm not sure I'd blame the promotion, either.