Full Interview

Luke Rockhold (4-1) is a mixed martial arts fighter that trains out of American Kickboxing Academy and fights for Strikeforce.  The young fighter started learning judo at 4 years old and was a wrestler in highschool. Rockhold's has an impressive brazilian jiu jitsu resume that include winning the U.S. and Absolute in the blue belt category, and winning the No Gi championships as a purple belt.

Rockhold will be taking on Jesse Taylor November 6th on "Strikeforce Challenger Series: Gurgel vs Evangelisa".  MMA Recap's Andrew Gladstone sat down with this young up and comer, to give more insight to mma fans on this Strikeforce fighter.

How are you feeling?

"I'm feeling good you know, I'm getting in the best shape of my life and I'm working with toughest wrestlers out there, for someone that's a good tough wrestler."

 

What's it like fighting for Strikeforce?

"I've had nothing but good experiences so far.  I've been with them for four fights now, or I guess give but one of them fell through.  They've always treated me right and so far I've had a good relationship with everybody around that works for the business. So I'm all happy on my end."

 

How's the training going?

"Training is going real good, it's a little discouraging going in against Cain Velasquez, he's a pretty tough wrestler.  But, I've been going alot with him one on one and kind of just getting myself ready for someone like Jesse, so when I'm going in, I don't think he's going to bring it like Cain brings it.  That's why I'm just doing alot with him and we have Daniel Cormier, and alot of real top notch wrestlers and I'm trying work with them as much as possible."

 

What's it like training at American Kickboxing Academy?

"It's been amazing; our academy kind of speaks for itself.  We've got three of the top welterweights in the world, alot of up and comers no one has head about, alot of bigger guys like Cain Velasquez, and we always have top notch guys who come to the gym on a weekly basis.  Some of the best guys in the world you get to train with, and you really know where you stand when you train with these guys, and what you need to improve and what to do to make it to that next level."

 

What's your take on fighting UFC veteran Jesse Taylor?

"My take on fighting him is, that he's kind of like a one dimensional kind of fighter I believe.  He always comes in, doesn't want to stand with anybody, wants to take them down, wants to put them on their back, and ground and pound them."

 

"My game plan is to stuff his takedown, keep it on the feet, and even if it goes to the ground obviously I have a pretty extensive background in wrestling and jiu jitsu and judo from when I was a kid.  I can hang with anybody on the ground, wherever this fight goes I think I'm going to be more than ready.  I'd love to keep it on the feet to tell you the truth and I don't want to play off my back.  My game plan is to not play off my back, get on top of him if it gets to the ground.  If he gets me on my back, I'm going to get back up and going to either get on the feet or get on top of him, one or the other."

Read the full interview for what he thinks about the middleweight division, how the fight with Taylor will end and more.