Coach: Lucky strike is Romero’s only chance

Javier Mendez and Bob Cook, central parts of Team Rockhold, spoke recently with Submission Radio about former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold’s interim title fight Saturday night vs. Yoel Romero. Mendez was asked if Romero is a tougher opponent than the injured division champion Robert Whittaker would have been,

It’s hard to say because they both have different strengths,” said Mendez. “Yoel is very explosive, great wrestling, but Whittaker is good everywhere and a very dangerous striker. They’re both different, but the thing is with Luke, Luke’s good everywhere. So Luke can finish those guys in every department, where they can’t. They can’t finish Luke everywhere, they can’t finish Luke on the ground, they can’t do this with Luke. Luke can do that to anybody. So, he’s the more well-rounded of the two and he can finish the fight anywhere with both of those guys. So, that’s where I think we have the advantage, and Luke’s mind is very sharp and he believes that that’s exactly what he can do – finish it anywhere, and he can.

There is a widespread belief that given Romero’s sometimes uncertain endurance, and extraordinary explosiveness, that he may come out hard early.

You would think he might want to do that, but at the same time too, Luke’s very dangerous right off the gate too,” said Mendez. “So, I don’t know if that’s the smart move. I think it could play against him if they do that.

It’s gonna be a methodical type of fights that if Yoel doesn’t get that lucky strike in – well, I shouldn’t call it lucky, because he meant to do it – but, that’s his only chance. He’s not gonna outpoint Luke and he’s not gonna out-grapple Luke – he can wrestle Luke, but this isn’t wrestling, this is MMA.

Cook offered a very specific prediction.

Something that people don’t understand is, when you’re in there with Luke, he is so long,” said. “And he gets those kicks going and gets moving, I think it’s gonna be a methodical picking him apart.

Luke Rockhold fights Yoel Romero in the main event of UFC 221 on Saturday night, live from Perth, Australia.