Rockhold training with Hooft in Florida for Branch
Luke Rockhold: “Due to the injuries and inactivity to our key guys, my team and I have decided it best I prepare for this fight in Florida.”
Luke Rockhold has not fought since losing the middleweight belt to Michael Bisping via early KO over a year ago at UFC 199 on June 4, 2016. Rockhold fights out of AKA, a gym notorious for a high rate of injuries. Rockhold is no exception, pulling out of fights four times with injury. Most recently Rockhold withdrew from a fight with ‘Jacare’ Souza last November with a knee injury. A spectacular win could have got him a title shot.
Now Rockhold fights David Brand on September 16, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 116 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Branch is coming off a Split Decision over Krzysztof Jotko at UFC 211 in May. Rockhold announced on his social network that although AKA in San Diego remains his home, he will be training for Branch at Henri Hooft’s Combat Club in South Florida.
“American Kickboxing Academy will always be my home,” began Rockhold. “Due to the injuries and inactivity to our key guys, my team and I have decided it best I prepare for this fight in Florida. All the usual suspects will be in my corner with the addition of Henri Hooft. I’d like to thank Henri, Kami Barzini, Greg Jones and all my teammates here in Florida for helping me prepare for this fight. September 16th we ride.”
The injury rate in MMA hugely eclipses that in boxing. Although it appears dangerous and can cause brain damage in the long-term, striking is not the primary source of injuries, grappling from standup to the ground is. Perhaps by training at a gym known primarily for the standup coaching abilities of the head coach, Rockhold, 32, hopes to get the fight uninjured.
