"I'm gonna make my own highlights and put a stamp on every fight that I'm in, Vitor Belfort included if I get that fight back. I'll put a stamp on his face...100%! That Lyoto Machida fight is going to happen, it's just a matter of time. I'll be ready to go and I should be finding out here real soon, but as far as I know, it's happening for sure," stated UFC middleweight contender and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, who talked about his victory over Michael Bisping, his future plans, and more. Check it out!
PC: Congratulations on all of your success and recently your win over rival Michael Bisping.
LR: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
PC: There was a lot of animosity heading into that fight between you two. To win in that fashion, what did that mean to you?
LR: It felt good. I knew I could go out there and perform and do what I did, and just to shut up Michael, who had been talking for a long time and running his mouth saying things that was not really necessarily the truth. The truth never comes out of his mouth, so it was nice to set the record straight and shut that man up.
PC: Since the loss to Vitor in Brazil, you have been on a tear and have showed that you can compete with the best in the UFC. How important was it for you to come back strong after that loss and somewhat erase that fight from the memory of fans?
LR: Yeah, I needed to come back and I needed to grow. I'm blessed for that fight. It made me a better fighter. It was a learning experience. It put me in an emotional state I never been in during a fight. I have two losses and you saw what happened after my first loss, which was the second fight of my career. I came back and won 9 fights in a row and won the title and it's going to be that much better this time around. After losing to Vitor, I have destroyed everyone that was in my path and it just made me better. Of course it's one of those things where I don't like losing and I'm a competitor, so I did everything to correct whatever was wrong and better myself. I don't know if I necessarily erased it. You can't erase a kick like that and it's on the freaking highlights every goddamn show, but I'm gonna make my own highlights and put a stamp on every fight that I'm in, Vitor Belfort included if I get that fight back. I'll put a stamp on his face.
PC: It seems like you are really wanting to fight Lyoto Machida next. Is that the next logical step for you in this middleweight division?
LR: 100%! That Lyoto Machida fight is going to happen, it's just a matter of time. I'll be ready to go and I should be finding out here real soon, but as far as I know, it's happening for sure.
PC: He's looked great since coming down to 185. He gave Chris Weidman a great fight. What do you think of Lyoto at this stage of his career?
LR: I think he's sharp. I think he's as good as he's ever been. He's definitely on his game. I think he looks good at middleweight. I think he had a great fight against Weidman. He looked good obviously against CB, although you can't take too much away from that. He landed a kick. It's not like he went out there and picked him apart. He put the right shot on him at the right time and he looked good doing it. He's been putting on great fights, no doubt. He's a guy that is very beatable if you fight him right. He only loses to champions really and I'm gonna prove myself as a champion and become a champion again.
PC: How do you feel about what you were able to accomplish this year? Is there a grade you would give yourself for the year?
LR: 2014 was a good year, I'm not gonna lie. I did pretty much what I sought out to do. I put away guys in a fashion that no one has before me and I beat them where they are most dangerous. I knew I could and I'm happy. I'm very happy with my performances. It's not an A+, but it's in the A range.
BE SURE TO CHECK BACK SOON FOR MUCH MORE FROM UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDER LUKE ROCKHOLD
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]