Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold injured his hand in his January 7th win over Keith Jardine and has been out for a while, but is looking to get back in the cage ASAP. He told MMA Weekly that he’ll probably defend his title against Tim Kennedy next:
“I’m excited about the fight with Kennedy. I think he’s highly underrated, very tough dude, he poses a lot of challenges. I’ll be ready. It looks like it’s finally going to happen. I’ve been waiting for that one for a long time, and I’m excited. I’m getting on my wrestling, I was wrestling yesterday. Wrestling’s a key for this fight, I gotta control the wrestling.”
He also discusses his dislike for Strikeforce middleweight Derek Brunson, a guy that he’s been warring with on twitter for the last couple of months:
“Derek Brunson. There’s not much to be said about Derek Brunson. We have some mutual friends, DC (Daniel Cormier) and Mo (Muhammed Lawal), so they fuel the fire a little bit. And I’ve heard some words before, he came at me one time a while back, said some outlandish shi*t, just making up crap, so I’m just hittin him where it hurts. He’s just talking out of his ass, so, yeah. The guys wants a title shot now, right? Off of where he’s at? I don’t know about that one. I think he fights more like a cheerleader. That’s my opinion of him. I think he needs to go back to tumbling school.”
…
“I want guys that have earned their spot. Derek Brunson sure as hell hasn’t earned his spot.”
It’s not clear when Kennedy will challenge for the title yet, because Rockhold’s hand hasn’t completely healed up, but my guess is that it will go down this summer. And it should be an awesome fight.
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