In the world of fighting, intense rivalries between fighters are not uncommon. Throughout the years, there have been numerous captivating rivalries that escalated into intense showdowns. Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov are well-known examples. One such underrated rivalry unfolded between former UFC champions Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold.
Recently, both Bisping and Rockhold’s coach, Jason Parillo, came in to record for a podcast episode. Parillo delved into several intriguing topics in that, including his former students, the ‘Count’ and Rockhold. As a close alibi of Bisping and Rockhold, Parillo talked about how the rivalry between the two started. It all started when the coach told Rockhold was a good sparring partner for Bisping.
While I was training (Michael) Bisping, I got introduced to Luke Rockhold and who was at the time, he was the Strikeforce champion of the world… We had some sparring… I believe Bisping was ahead in the sparring. Bisping was talking to the interviewer and he’s like, ‘I did spar with Luke Rockhold, the Strikeforce champion’… (How’d that go) Let’s just say this, I’m the new Strikeforce champion.
Jason Parillo via Jaxxon Podcast
Per Jason Parillo, Luke Rockhold didn’t like when Michael Bisping sarcastically took a dig at him after their sparring session. Initially, Rockhold was not a part of Parillo’s team. Ahead of their sparring session, both Bisping and the former Strikeforce champion clashed against each other in 2014.
In that fight, Rockhold showed his excellent grappling and wrestling prowess, and made light work of the ‘Count.’ However, at this point in time, both of them had no animosity against each other. Two years later, in 2016, Bisping took a fight against one of the most formidable UFC fighters back then, Anderson Silva. The Count defeated the ‘Spider’ and with that victory, he was roaring high in confidence.
That is when Rockhold came in to train with Parillo. With that brief heated moment at the training sessions, they went on to face each other a few months later. Bisping stepped in on short notice to replace Chris Weidman and fought Rockhold at UFC 199 for the middleweight champion. The Count ended up beating the former Strikeforce champ and took revenge for his initial defeat.
Do Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold still hold grudges against each other?
Over the years, Michael Bisping had heated rivalries with several UFC fighters. With time, he eventually resolved those animosities with his foes. Regarding the Bisping vs. Rockhold rivalry, the Count publicly addressed it a few years ago and stated that he holds no grudges against the former Strikeforce champion.
Luke Rockhold squashes his beef with Michael Bisping (Image via Imago)In a 2021 interview with ESPN MMA‘s Brett Okamoto, Luke Rockhold expressed his viewpoint on the matter. He emphasized that holding grudges against someone for an extended period serves no purpose, drawing a parallel to Michael Bisping’s perspective.
You know, you gotta let things go, you gotta move on. I’ve crushed it with Vitor (Belfort), I’ve crushed it with (Michael) Bisping… It’s a crazy game but you gotta move on, you gotta let things go. It is what it is.
Luke Rockhold via ESPN MMA
Both Bisping and Luke Rockhold have moved on from competing in the UFC. Rockhold was recently spotted showcasing his skills in Karate Combat. On the other hand, Bisping has transitioned into a role as an MMA analyst with ESPN.
