In December, the Global Fight League (GFL), a new MMA organization, shook up the sport by revealing its team-based competition format, featuring six teams in total. Now, the vision is becoming clearer. Last Friday, GFL held its inaugural promotional draft, where several fighters took part as both contestants and coaches, marking a significant milestone for the organization’s debut. One notable fighter who was signed to the league is former UFC middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold.

Even though he was selected in the draft, the former UFC champion, Luke Rockhold, has expressed his desire for one final run in the UFC. During a conversation, he pointed out the fighters he can face and how one fighter refused to fight him in the past.

Luke Rockhold opens up on the possibility of facing Khamzat Chimaev

Luke Rockhold, known for his dominance in the middleweight division, briefly tested the waters in the UFC’s light heavyweight division in the later stages of his career. After a series of injuries and setbacks at 185 pounds, Rockhold made the jump to 205 pounds, eager to reignite his career and challenge himself against a new crop of fighters. The move to light heavyweight in 2019, however, proved to be a difficult one. Rockhold struggled with the size and power of Jan Błachowicz who knocked him out in the second round.

He then made a return to the middleweight division three years later against Paulo Costa at UFC 278. The fight went the distance and the Brazilian won the fight via decision. However, Costa was not the first choice of opponent for Rockhold to make a comeback inside the Octagon. In a recent conversation with Submission Radio, he pointed out how the UFC was lining up Chimaev but the Chechen fighter was not up for the challenge.

Rockhold pointed out that he is still looking for a fight in the UFC and said,  “I like all the matchups, so you never know. I am still fighting. I still feel good. But you know, first things first. See, we got Weidman, we got Gegard – we got some fun fights”. He then talked about how ‘Borz’ denied facing him on his return and said, “Obviously, Khamzat. Khamzat did turn down the fight with me. I was supposed to come back – my first fight before Paulo Costa, they tried to book that fight and he didn’t really want to play.”  While many fighters hesitate to take on Khamzat Chimaev, Luke Rockhold was eager to step up to the challenge. For him, a fight with Chimaev was an intriguing opportunity.

However, despite Rockhold expressing his willingness to face the rising star, the matchup never came to fruition. Rockhold revealed that, despite the UFC proposing three different dates for the fight, he never received a response from Chimaev’s camp, leaving the potential showdown in limbo.

Rockhold weighs in on why he never faced Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene like a storm, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about fighters in the sport. Known for his incredible wrestling, raw power, and relentless pace, Chimaev’s dominance inside the Octagon has been nothing short of impressive, capturing the attention of fans and analysts alike. ‘Borz’ made his UFC debut in 2020 and wasted no time making an impact. He quickly gained attention for his ability to finish fights dominantly, showcasing his wrestling pedigree and striking power.

His first three fights in the UFC, all victories, lasted a combined 3 minutes and 9 seconds, cementing his reputation as a fighter who could overwhelm opponents with his aggression and superior skill. However, he once failed to give a response to Rockhold when offered a fight against him.

The former UFC champion said, “Chimaev was like, that was out of the dark. The UFC just kind of threw that one at me. I was like, wow! That’s interesting. This kid’s like the next hype machine. He thinks he can beat everybody, claims he can beat everybody. I like the match-up. But, it got me excited, got me off the couch, and go do my job. There was nothing but dead silence on his end,”

Only if the Chechen fighter had responded the fight would have been a treat for the fans. Why did Khamzat Chimaev give no response to Luke Rockhold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.