UFC president Dana White has announced that Luke Rockhold (pictured) will be the next man to challenge for middleweight champion Chris Weidman’s belt.
Weidman (13-0) is hot off the heels of a first round destruction of Vitor Belfort at last month’s UFC 187, and the defence will be his fourth since dethroning ex-champion Anderson Silva in 2013.
Challenger Rockhold (14-2) is also coming off a dominant performance of his own, outclassing former Light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida back in April, and he’s now strung together four victories since dropping his first UFC bout to Belfort.
The man left in the cold by the announcement is Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, who along with Rockhold was also vying for a shot at the belt. He’ll now have to wait for his shot.
The fight has an interesting sub-plot, with both men questioning the other’s capabilities and being very vocal about their chances against one another, of late.
No date or venue has been announced, although both fighters have expressed their desire to get the fight done at Madison Square Garden, subject to New York overturning their ban on the sport of MMA later in the year.
