Luke Rockhold rose to the top of the middleweight world last year when he finished Chris Weidman and became the UFC champion.
This past weekend, Rockhold experienced what several before him had to go through – defending the title.
Rockhold was knocked out by Michael Bisping in a monumental upset at UFC 199, and the AKA-trained former Strikeforce champion admits that he let the pressure and the situation get the better of him.
“Allowing the pressure of the situation get to me, I felt the need to preform and make a statement as opposed to staying calculated and winning the fight. I underestimated my opponent and paid for it,” he posted on Instagram. “Forcing a fight that was unlike me, which left the door open. Credit to Micheal for being the tough guy that he is and capitalizing on the situation.”
The two continued their feud during the post-fight press conference, which Rockhold also commented on.
“After our first fight I picked him up off the canvas and gave him his due respect. Bisping went out of his way to come across the cage not to shake my hand like a man but to further mock the situation,” he said. “I felt it was a classless move on his part. Thus the reason I was so pissed off at the press conference. I don’t believe in kicking a man while he’s down.”
