Former UFC champ Luke Rockhold is moonlighting as a male model and laughing ‘all the way to the bank’
Ex-UFC middleweight champion faces Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza at UFC Melbourne, but reveals he's been supplementing his fighter income by working as a male model during his downtime
FORMER middleweight champion hasn't let his knockout loss to Michael Bisping at get him down.
The Californian has taken the loss on the chin and vowed to come back even better than ever when he takes on fellow top contender Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza in the main event of on November 27.
And the photogenic middleweight - who has also been romantically linked with pop songstress Demi Lovato - has put his chiselled looks to good use in the meantime, moonlighting as a male model to help supplement his fighter income.
"I’m just trying to stack some chips, make some paycheques. That’s what it’s all about," he told at a media scrum in Melbourne this week.
"Say what you will, but in the off-time, that’s what I want to do. Why not?”
The move isn't the typical career path for a professional fighter, with Rockhold risking his health - and his facial features - every time he steps into the Octagon.
Such is the nature of contests in mixed martial arts, cuts are common, and on the odd occasion bones can be broken. But that hasn't deterred Rockhold, who says he's just making hay while the sun shines during the peak of his career.
And while it's an unusual way for a professional fighter to supplement their income, Rockhold says anyone who wants to make fun of him can go right ahead. He'll just keep cashing those cheques.
“Like I said, I could care less because I’m getting paid," he smiled.
"So I’m doing what I have to do. (You) can’t always rely on these (UFC) contracts to make do, so I do what I can.
"I’ve got some big numbers coming and I’ll laugh it off, all the way to the bank!”
His day job remains his main focus, however, with his main event bout with Jacare the headline attraction Down Under as the UFC makes its debut at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, home of The Australian Open.
“Yeah, I’m excited," he admitted.
"Rod Laver is obviously a name I’m very familiar with and I couldn’t be happier to come here and fill a stadium like this."
And with fellow former champ Chris Weidman looking set to face Yoel Romero in New York, Rockhold finds himself against Jacare in Melbourne in a bout that he believes will determine the next challenger for the UFC middleweight title.
“I think this is the most credible fight for me right now," he said.
"Jacare has proven himself as the top-tier guy. I’ve already beat Chris Weidman - beating him again at this stage I don’t think it proves as much as this fight right now.
"I think people are high on Jacare and (if) I go out there and put him away, I think it speaks volumes. I think it’s the biggest statement fight right now.
"I’m very aware of what Jacare brings to the table and I’ve watched him as he’s grown.
"I don’t think he’s grown as much as me. He’s tough, I think he’s gotten more confidence in his right hand, but he hasn’t grown in the ways I have.
"I respect Jacare, but I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna pick him apart.”
Rockhold said that of the two fights featuring the top four contenders, his bout with Jacare is the clear number-one contender fight, with the winner being the most deserving recipient of the next title shot.
“I think it’s pretty plain and simple – I already put Weidman away in devastating fashion, Yoel Romero has his controversies, and this is the fight. Jacare, I believe won the fight with Yoel Romero," he said.
"And for me (this fight with Jacare) was obvious – it was (the chance to fight) a five-round fight, the main event. I love it out here in Australia and five-round fights really tell the tale of who the true fighter is, the better fighter, and that’s what I requested and this is what I got.”
And while Rockhold stopped short of offering a prediction for who he thinks he'll be facing for the title if he gets past Jacare, he did nail his colours firmly to the mast of one of the participants in UFC 204's main event.
“I’d be happy for Dan (Henderson) if he won the title and fulfilled his career," he said.
"We’ll see what happens. Dan’s a great friend of mine and I wish him the best.
"And I don’t wish anything for Bisping! (laughs)"
