VIDEO | Luke Rockhold says one issue is holding him back from moving up to light heavyweight

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is coming off an impressive victory that place over the weekend.

Rockhold was featured in the main event of UFC Fight Night 116 against former WSOF middleweight and light heavyweight champion David Branch. Rockhold earned a second-round TKO with Branch submitting to powerful strikes. Rockhold held a dominant position taking Branch’s back and flattened him out and unloaded with a barrage of punches.

In a post-fight interview, Rockhold said that he was a bit heavier than normal going into the fight and getting down to 185 is never an easy task. Rockhold was asked if he has plans of moving up to light heavyweight as he previously had interest in going all the way up to heavyweight to fight Fabricio Werdum.

“I’d love to go to light heavyweight,” said the former middleweight champ (at 3:42 of the video). “I do really well in the gym and it’s more natural for me and I think I could do things. But, D.C. (Daniel Cormier) is obviously the man right now in the division. I’m not going up until he gets out. If he goes up or if he retires. Damn well guarantee I’m coming up. But, business to do here first.”

Rockhold and Cormier are teammates and training partners at AKA in San Jose, California. Cormier has been on an emotional roller coaster after getting finished for the first time in his career against Jon Jones in their UFC 214 title fight. However, the result was overturned to a no-contest after Jones was flagged for his second potential Anti-Doping Policy violation from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Cormier was told by UFC President Dana White that he would be reinstated as the UFC light heavyweight champion, which will keep Rockhold at middleweight for the time being.

on 9/18/2017.