Daily Star

I’ll Rock the world yet again

- UFC with CHISANGA MALATA

LUKE ROCKHOLD has vowed to prove he’s still one of the world’s best when he next steps inside the octagon.

The former middleweig­ht king is on a two-fight skid after consecutiv­e TKO losses to Yoel Romero and Jan Blachowicz.

Defeat to Blachowicz in his light-heavyweigh­t debut last July was Rockhold’s third loss in his last four outings but he now plans to end his woes by producing a stellar performanc­e later this year.

“I don’t like the way I’ve ended things as of late,” said Rockhold.

“And I know I can do better than that. I’d like to just go and prove this to myself.

“I definitely have a little bit of fire in me still.

“It’s just where I want to direct it and how things work out politicall­y too.

“It takes a lot to step back in there.”

Rockhold, 35, has yet to decide if he will stay at light-heavyweigh­t but admits he is up for a grudge match with former title challenger Anthony Smith.

“Anthony Smith seems to not like me quite so much,” he said.

“I like that stylistic match-up, I think it suits me well.”

Should a fight with Smith fail to materialis­e, he would like to face future Hall-of-famer Anderson Silva.

The American said: “Silva is a fight I’ve always wanted too. It sounds like his head is still in it and I think it makes a lot of sense.”

Rockhold is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and is champing at the bit to get back in the cage.

He added: “I’m getting healthy. Once my body allows me, I’ll be in full effect and on a path to getting back doing what I do best.”

 ??  ?? SETBACKS: Rockhold
SETBACKS: Rockhold
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