Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman trade shots at UFC 194 open workouts

The UFC middleweight champion shockingly knocked out the legendary Anderson Silva two-and-a-half years before immediately repeating the trick by breaking his esteemed opponent’s leg in a rematch.

Weidman has definitely noticed his opponent’s attitude.

Never short on confidence, Rockhold has cut a curious figure in the time since he beat Lyoto Machida and earned himself a title shot in April. For his next two fights, Weidman was and will be actually playing second fiddle to other title fights.

“I spar with some of my best friends since I got into this sport and it doesn’t slow me down from trying to completely dominate them”, Weidman said.

“It feels good to be credited for your work and what you do and pride yourself on, of course”, Rockhold said at the UFC 194 pre-fight press conference (transcripts via MMA Mania). I came in with a point to prove and I’m here to make another point.

Weidman, though, has given off the air of a man who is content with where he’s at this week.

THIS WEEK WILL go down as the busiest in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, with no fewer than three events taking place in Las Vegas. His biggest weakness isnt something physical, it’s something in his head, it’s his ego and that’s what I’m coming for.

“The bell rings in the school, so everybody comes out of their classes and I’m going out on a stretcher and everyone’s like, ‘What’s wrong with him!?’ I’m like nothing!”

Well, to say that Weidman hasn’t headlined any pay-per-views as champion isn’t exactly accurate. “Plus everybody loved it, so I stuck with it. I go with the song that gives me the chills, and that song gives me the chills when I hear it. It keeps me calm, but it also gives me that little extra buzz”.

Rockhold is referencing his American Kickboxing Academy training partners former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and current UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. “Adjustment is what fighting’s all about”. Who has the focus, who can face adversity and work with it and flow with it. I know how to deal with adversity and we both will face adversity in this fight.

As the reigning, defending, undefeated and undisputed UFC middleweight champion, you would think that the 13-0 standout from the Serra-Longo Fight Team would be a massive superstar, but that isn’t the case.