Luke Rockhold is a weird case in combat sports. If you just glance at the raw numbers of the Luke Rockhold MMA record, you see 16 wins and 6 losses. On paper, that looks like a solid, maybe even unremarkable, top-tier fighter. But numbers are liars. They don't tell you about the check hooks, the questionable chin, or the fact that for a three-year stretch, this guy looked like the most dangerous human being at 185 pounds.
Honestly, his career is a bit of a tragedy wrapped in a highlight reel. He was the guy who had everything—the look, the grappling, the brutal kicks—and then it all kind of fell apart in the most violent ways possible. People love to meme him now for getting knocked out, but you've gotta remember: he was a two-promotion world champion. That doesn't happen by accident.
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Breaking Down the Luke Rockhold MMA Record
Let's look at the actual math. Rockhold finished his professional MMA career (for now, anyway) with a record of 16-6-0.
What’s wild is the finish rate. Out of those 16 wins, only two went to the judges. That is an 87.5% finish rate. He wasn't just winning; he was making people quit. He has 8 wins by submission and 6 by knockout.
On the flip side, his losses are equally definitive. Five of his six losses came via KO or TKO. He lived by the sword and, well, you know the rest.
The Strikeforce Era: The Rise of a Killer
Before the UFC absorbed everything, Strikeforce was the place to be for middleweights. This is where the Luke Rockhold MMA record really started to look scary. He went on a 9-fight tear in that promotion.
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- He took the belt from Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in 2011. Most people thought Jacare would walk through him. Rockhold won a 5-round war.
- He defended it against Keith Jardine with a first-round TKO.
- He shut down Tim Kennedy over 25 minutes.
By the time he moved to the UFC, he wasn't just a prospect. He was the final Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. He entered the Octagon with a target on his back and a massive amount of hype.
The UFC Rollercoaster: From Gold to Grime
Rockhold’s UFC debut was... rough. Vitor Belfort hit him with a spinning heel kick that basically sent his head into the third row. It was a "welcome to the big leagues" moment that would have broken most fighters. Rockhold just got better.
He went on a legendary four-fight finishing streak to earn a title shot. He choked out Michael Bisping with one arm. He absolutely dismantled Lyoto Machida. He made Tim Boetsch look like an amateur.
The Peak: UFC 194
The crowning achievement of the Luke Rockhold MMA record happened on December 12, 2015. He fought Chris Weidman for the title. It was a bloodbath. Rockhold eventually secured a mount and rained down some of the most brutal ground-and-pound in title history. When the ref finally stopped it in the fourth round, Rockhold was the king of the world.
Then, the wheels came off.
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The Fall
He lost the belt in his first defense to Michael Bisping in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. Bisping took the fight on short notice and knocked Rockhold stiff in the first round. From there, the record becomes a series of "what ifs."
- Win over David Branch: A weird fight where he got wobbled early but eventually forced a submission to strikes.
- The Yoel Romero Disaster: An interim title fight where Rockhold got brutally KO'd in the third.
- The Jan Blachowicz Move: Rockhold moved to Light Heavyweight. It lasted less than two rounds before Jan broke his jaw.
- The Paulo Costa Swan Song: After three years away, he came back at UFC 278. He lost a decision, but it was a "Fight of the Night" performance where he wiped his own blood on Costa's face. It was gross. It was beautiful. It was the perfect end to his MMA run.
Why the Record Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
If you just look at the 6 losses, you might think he was "chinny." Maybe he was, toward the end. But look at the names he fought. He never took an easy out. Every single loss in the Luke Rockhold MMA record came against a world-class killer or a future Hall of Famer.
He also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Leandro Vieira. His top game was arguably the best in the division's history. Once he got on top of you, the fight was basically over.
What’s he doing now?
Rockhold didn't stay retired long. He jumped into Bare Knuckle FC (BKFC) and got his teeth smashed in by Mike Perry. Then he showed up in Karate Combat and knocked out Joe Schilling. He’s a guy who just clearly loves the scrap, even if his brain probably wishes he’d take up golf instead.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're studying the Luke Rockhold MMA record to understand high-level MMA, here is what you should actually watch:
- Watch the Weidman fight to see perfect transitional grappling.
- Watch the first Bisping fight to see how he used his reach and lead-leg high kicks to set up submissions.
- Analyze his defense in the Romero and Blachowicz fights. He had a habit of dropping his right hand when exiting exchanges—a fatal flaw that elite strikers exploited.
Rockhold's legacy is complicated. He was a champion who lost his belt to a rival he'd already beaten. He was a master grappler who often fell in love with his own striking. He was, fundamentally, one of the most talented athletes to ever step into the cage, even if the final tally on his record doesn't reflect the absolute ceiling of his prime.
Check out his old Strikeforce tapes if you want to see the "complete" version of him. That’s where the real magic was.