Under the Microscope: Analyzing Middleweight Greats

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Luke Rockhold

* Middleweight Record: 13-1
* Opponent Winning Percentage: .741
* Longest Winning Streak: 9
* Record in Major Middleweight Title Fights: 3-0
* Finish Percentage: 85
* Finished Percentage: 100
* Notable Victories: Michael Bisping, Tim Boetsch, Costas Philippou, Tim Kennedy, Keith Jardine, Ronaldo Souza, Lyoto Machida
* Career Accomplishments: Strikeforce middleweight champion, with two successful title defenses; two-time UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus winner

CASE FOR: After a dominant run that saw him go undefeated in Strikeforce, Rockhold met his first major setback via a spectacular spinning heel kick to the dome, courtesy of walking testosterone replacement therapy advertisement Vitor Belfort in 2013. Since then, Rockhold has been on a tear in the UFC, dispatching four highly touted opponents with frightening ease. In the entirety of his career wins, Rockhold has only dropped three rounds -- one to Tim Kennedy and two to Ronaldo Souza -- making his dominance in the division statistically verifiable. With the combination of a high finish rate against top-seeded talent and the hardware that resulted from an undefeated championship stint in Strikeforce, there are plenty of arguments to be made for Rockhold as one of the best ever. At only 30 years of age and with the possibility of a showdown with UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman on the horizon, the Californian has a tremendous upside.

CASE AGAINST: Rockhold is one of many fighters that have enough to be considered the top middleweight of all-time but not enough to separate him from the rest of the pack. As the most successful Strikeforce champion, he has some leverage in the discussion, but it goes without saying that, in order to be considered the definitive G.O.A.T. at this point, it is basically a prerequisite to have the UFC belt to your name. That he was on the wrong side of one of the most spectacular knockouts in recent memory does not help his case. Rockhold is young enough to afford such a misstep but time is ticking, and until he secures some major, championship-level success in the UFC, it will be difficult to distinguish him from several other fighters on this list.

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