Ex-UFC champ Luke Rockhold is back! Huge KO win at Karate Combat 45

Luke Rockhold is a former UFC middleweight champiom. Photo via YouTube / Karate Combat

The former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold finally picked up his first combat sports victory in years on Saturday’s Karate Combat 45 in Dubai.

Rockhold faced former Bellator fighter and veteran kickboxer Joe Schilling in the main event.

The former UFC champion knocked down Schilling early into the third round as he connected with a solid right hand. He then followed up with ground strikes before the fight was stopped. Check out the win in the player below!

Luke Rockhold floors Joe Schilling with a vicious right hand for the finish at Karate Combat 45 😳 #KC45 (🎥 via @karatecombat) pic.twitter.com/2LrKT2iGhU

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 20, 2024

The fight was Rockhold’s second after leaving the UFC in 2022. In his first post-UFC outing he faced Mike Perry in a bloody bare-knuckle boxing bout at BKFC.

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Luke Rockhold called out Lyoto Machida

After the fight, Luke Rockhold called out former UFC champ Lyoto Machida who is now a free agent.

“There’s only one man I want to fight in this pit, and that’s Lyoto Machida,” Rockhold said in his post-fight interview. “You’re lucky because they don’t allow elbows, so no more nightmares about the elbows. Bring it. Let’s see what you got, let’s see what the paychecks look like, bring out that check book.

The two fought in UFC back in 2015 with Rockhold coming out as the winner via submission.

“Lyoto, I know you need a pay-day motherfucker, come get it,” Rockhold said at Karate Combat.

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