As the unforgiving game of MMA evolves, the margin for error is diminishing rapidly. Hence fighters nowadays train at different camps to iron out the minor voids in their game, one of them being the former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.
Rockhold alongwith current UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and later joined by current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov are known to be the staples of American Kickboxing Academy.
However according to Rockhold, due to Cormier and Velasquez being family men and Khabib spending most of time in Russia, he decided to work with kickboxing guru Henry Hooft at Combat Club in Florida for preparation of his bouts against David Branch in September last year and Yoel Romero in February. Rockhold is currently working with the man who plotted a blueprint to defeat him, Michael Bisping’s coach Jason Parillo.
Constant change of camps can lead to some tension between the fighter and the coaching staff. Well known example being of T.J. Dillashaw’s beef against his former gym Team Alpha Male. However, speaking on the latest episode of BJPENN. COM radio, AKA head coach Javier Mendez said there won’t be any drama between Rockhold and the gym and that Rockhold will always be welcome.
“Luke Rockhold’s my boy,” Mendez said. “I love that kid. He’ll always be with me no matter where he goes, no matter who trains with, and he’s always welcome with me. He always has my attention whenever he needs it, you know, and he’s here now. He’s here for another week. I’ve been training him. I wouldn’t expect it to stop. If he feels okay now, he’s going to go back to Florida or wherever he wants to go, I’m a big, giant Luke supporter. I’m going support Luke in any way he needs me to support him.
Rockhold takes on another former middleweight champion Chris ‘The All-American’ Weidman in a rematch at UFC 230 in November.
Read also:
SHARE
