First off let me say Luke Rockhold is an amazing athlete, he's accomplished what few ever have and I've massively enjoyed watching his journey along the way. By the same token MMA is a great sport that allows athletes such as Demetrious Johnson, Cristiano Santos, and Randy Couture to make a living and get a little publicity.
But it also provides a stepping stone for those ready to move on to the next level, those rare people that captivate us and beg our attention, those people like Luke Rockhold.
Let me drop some knowledge on you. We have seen time and time again larger than life personalities take hold of MMA, grab the attention of mainstream media, then suffer one loss and leave us for good. It started with the female athletes: Gina Carano, Ronda Rousey, PVZ. Three of the most beautiful women in the world. All suffered one defeat and realized another devastating loss and no one would care about them,
so why not step fully into that larger ocean that has been slowly dragging them away. To blockbuster films, to reality tv, to being a general media star. These women aren't just larger than mma, they are larger than life. They provided the path, but lately we have been seeing more male fighters follow. Brendan Schaub is a man of great intellect and humor, a philosopher fighter. He now hosts one of the most successful podcasts in the world with fellow professional comedian Bryan Callen.
Schaub was a man too big for the sport of MMA, who had other talents ready to let loose. Since then we have seen Connor McGregor go from champion, to loser, to retired media darling still ready to tease us rematches with Diaz or a superfight with Mayweather. But his talent does not lie inside the cage, but in selling fights. He can make more money and entertain us more talking trash, and soon he will be a Kardashian style general media celebratory. What does he do now? Entertain.
Rockhold may be the first male fighter to follow in this path not just as a media darling, but as a beautiful person that doesn’t need to go rough it up with the like of Bispings and Belforts. Just go on talk shows, talk a little trash, tell some jokes, show that great smile, and cash the checks.
Do you really think Rockhold is going to return to MMA and jeopardize his future? How well did that work out for fellow general media celebrity Jason Miller. Rockhold, like Schaub is a wise man, like McGregor is an intelligent man, and like Rousey or PVZ will never step foot in the octagon again. Because he has outgrown us. His biggest loss? I dare say we just witnessed his largest triumph, and I for one cannot wait to see what comes next.
Schaub doesn't have to pay people to express that he is an interesting and insightful person to listen to. He actually gets paid by proving it every time he hosts a podcast.
He will be back and he will be a champ again. He is young and this is going to piss him off. The celebrity got to him. He will handle it better. Let's not forget he is a bad mofo with wins over top 5 guys.
Let him lick his wounds, he will come back and I still think he holds the belt again. Lesson was learned.
BubblesNS - I might be possible that Luke is a fighter and has no interest in stopping fighting.
Just like how Rounda was obsessed with winning, fighting was her whole life, etc. Or how Conman needed an immediate rematch with Nate. The fact is these fighters are like a house of cards, and when that one card falls down their whole mindset topples over.
BubblesNS - I might be possible that Luke is a fighter and has no interest in stopping fighting.
Just like how Rounda was obsessed with winning, fighting was her whole life, etc. Or how Conman needed an immediate rematch with Nate. The fact is these fighters are like a house of cards, and when that one card falls down their whole mindset topples over.
You keep using a sample of 2 fighters out of like 550 on the roster. Rockhold has always been a crybaby . Your argument is without logic.
BubblesNS - I might be possible that Luke is a fighter and has no interest in stopping fighting.
Just like how Rounda was obsessed with winning, fighting was her whole life, etc. Or how Conman needed an immediate rematch with Nate. The fact is these fighters are like a house of cards, and when that one card falls down their whole mindset topples over.
You keep using a sample of 2 fighters out of like 550 on the roster. Rockhold has always been a crybaby . Your argument is without logic.
I'm sorry but the 550 fighters on the roster don't compare to someone like Rockhold, or Rousey, or McGregor. Neither in terms of career or media presence.
Guys like Bisping and Henderson will spend a decade being a gatekeeper because they have no other options. Someone like Schaub however will move onto podcasting, PVZ into dancing, Rockhold into modeling, etc.
