LAS VEGAS – Top middleweight contender Luke Rockhold barely waited until Lyoto Machida had finished off C.B. Dollaway a couple weeks back before tweeting that he’d like the next crack at the former UFC light heavyweight champion.
On Wednesday, Rockhold said the match is all but a done deal. While there’s no official announcement as of yet, Rockhold strongly hinted in an interview with MMAFighting.com that we should expect the bout to be finalized sooner rather than later.
“There’s a very good opportunity for that to happen real soon,” said Rockhold. “I look forward to that happening really soon here. Keep your eyes peeled, I’m sure something will come up soon.”
Rockhold is in town for UFC 182 fight week in support of his teammate, Daniel Cormier. With three straight victories and 11 in his past 12, Rockhold, a former Strikeforce champion, believes a bout with Machida, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, is the right fight in the division at the right time.
Machida is 3-1 since dropping to middleweight, with his only loss coming to champion Chris Weidman, who had to withstand a furious late onslaught by Machida to retain his crown.
“It’s still the fight I want,” Rockhold says. “It looks like the fight I’m going to get.”