Luke Rockhold is now ready to make a run at the UFC middleweight championship.
Following a loss to Vitor Belfort in his UFC debut, the former Strikeforce titleholder bounced back at UFC Fight Night 35, stopping Costas Philippou with body kicks in the first round. With his first win inside the Octagon, Rockhold can now set his sights on earning a shot at the 185-pound division’s strap.
On the other end of the spectrum, Philippou has now lost two in a row. Unless he gets things turned around soon, the Cyprus-born middleweight could fall from title contention to receiving his walking papers in a hurry.
With another UFC event in the books, here are the matchups that should be next for Rockhold, Philippou and the rest of the UFC Fight Night 35 competitors.