Luke Rockhold is a Northern California guy.
He was born and raised in Santa Cruz, had his first six fights within a three-hour drive and even these days maintains an operation in nearby San Jose.
But when it comes to ambition, he's all about Los Angeles.
The 31-year-old will take his initial headlining bow atop the UFC 199 pay-per-view this weekend, in the very venue made famous by the NBA's Showtime-era Lakers.
And by the time he's done, he's certain he'll leave a Kareem/Magic-level impression.
"I'm excited," he told CBS Sports. "The moment they told me it was here in L.A., at the Forum of all places -- something we haven't touched down at -- it excited me. I like making history and being different. This is L.A., the stars will be out and the lights will be shining. I'm aware of the situation and I'm excited for it, and I'm going to go give them something that's worthwhile."
The middleweight champion will have a familiar face in front of him by the time the main event arrives, in the late-stage form of No. 4 contender Michael Bisping - whom he beat by second round submission 19 months ago in Sydney, Australia.
Bisping, a 37-year-old Englishman, got the title shot two weeks ago when the man from whom Rockhold won the title last December -- Chris Weidman - pulled out with a neck injury.
Another ex-foe, No. 2 contender Ronaldo Souza, turned down a date with a gimpy right knee.
Regardless of who shows up Saturday night, Rockhold insists he'll be ready.
"I couldn't care less. For me, it's about somebody who could sell a fight where I can draw a paycheck," he said. "I've got a short window in this game and I'm looking to make the most of it, trying to reach my potential and trying to put on performances that nobody else has. Bisping is going to allow me to do that. With Weidman, of course I'd like to shut up people. I'd like people to not have excuses and have no one think that anyone can compete with me.
"If he makes his way back up, I will gladly beat him again. It's really just about something that the fans want that can sell a fight and can put a paycheck in my pocket."
Bisping, though, is no wallflower when it comes to his own pre-fight jabbering.
He's won three straight bouts -- including a defeat of former champ Anderson Silva -- since the initial Rockhold meeting, and made waves at a Thursday press conference by suggesting the new champion was less than genuine when discussing how their rematch came about.
"Luke says that he's on a different level than everybody else and he's by far the best fighter and he can destroy anybody and this, that and the other," Bisping said. "Well, if that is the case, then it turns out he's a liar, because the guy has a bit of a v----- inside him because he turned down Ronaldo 'Jacare,' whatever his name is. He turned the fight down. I didn't turn this fight down."
He upped the ante by claiming Rockhold only picked him because Bisping was filming a movie -- and not in heavy training -- when Weidman dropped out.
"You're the best, but I choose Bisping," Bisping said mocking a conversation Rockhold had with Jacare. "'He's on a movie set, let's pick him. Pick the easy fight.' You picked wrong."
The Rockhold-Bisping matchup will top a five-bout event that goes live at 10 p.m. ET.
Here's how the rest of the card shakes out with updated odds via UFC.com.
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</tbody>Fox Sports 1 will air a separate four-bout preliminary show that begins at 8 p.m. A UFC Fight Pass early prelims show includes four more bouts and airs at 6:15 p.m.
Rockhold is a significant favorite. It'll take an $700 wager to return a $100 profit on him, while a $100 outlay on Bisping would return a cool $575 for an upset.
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</tbody>How Rockhold wins: It'll be full-speed ahead from the outset for Rockhold, who'll no doubt aim to gauge his substitute foe's fitness and capacity to absorb punishment. He's claimed Bisping is more likely to provide a technical challenge than Weidman, but that won't stop him from trying to chop his man down with kicks on the way to going for the stoppage on the ground.
How Bisping wins: He didn't last two rounds with a full training camp last time, so it'll be a Herculean task for the older man to survive -- let alone win -- with two weeks of preparation. Nevertheless, you can expect him to keep the action vertical for as long as possible while he tries to frustrate Rockhold into a mistake. If an opening appears, he could take advantage.
Prediction: Recent UFC history indicates a big favorite meeting a huge underdog coming in on short notice is no lock - see: McGregor, Conor - but it's far more difficult to foresee a path for Bisping than it was for a bigger Nate Diaz. Here, Rockhold is a confident guy looking to establish himself with an impressive win. No real reason to believe he won't get it in two rounds or less.
He was born and raised in Santa Cruz, had his first six fights within a three-hour drive and even these days maintains an operation in nearby San Jose.
But when it comes to ambition, he's all about Los Angeles.
The 31-year-old will take his initial headlining bow atop the UFC 199 pay-per-view this weekend, in the very venue made famous by the NBA's Showtime-era Lakers.
And by the time he's done, he's certain he'll leave a Kareem/Magic-level impression.
"I'm excited," he told CBS Sports. "The moment they told me it was here in L.A., at the Forum of all places -- something we haven't touched down at -- it excited me. I like making history and being different. This is L.A., the stars will be out and the lights will be shining. I'm aware of the situation and I'm excited for it, and I'm going to go give them something that's worthwhile."
The middleweight champion will have a familiar face in front of him by the time the main event arrives, in the late-stage form of No. 4 contender Michael Bisping - whom he beat by second round submission 19 months ago in Sydney, Australia.
Bisping, a 37-year-old Englishman, got the title shot two weeks ago when the man from whom Rockhold won the title last December -- Chris Weidman - pulled out with a neck injury.
Another ex-foe, No. 2 contender Ronaldo Souza, turned down a date with a gimpy right knee.
Regardless of who shows up Saturday night, Rockhold insists he'll be ready.
"I couldn't care less. For me, it's about somebody who could sell a fight where I can draw a paycheck," he said. "I've got a short window in this game and I'm looking to make the most of it, trying to reach my potential and trying to put on performances that nobody else has. Bisping is going to allow me to do that. With Weidman, of course I'd like to shut up people. I'd like people to not have excuses and have no one think that anyone can compete with me.
"If he makes his way back up, I will gladly beat him again. It's really just about something that the fans want that can sell a fight and can put a paycheck in my pocket."
Bisping, though, is no wallflower when it comes to his own pre-fight jabbering.
He's won three straight bouts -- including a defeat of former champ Anderson Silva -- since the initial Rockhold meeting, and made waves at a Thursday press conference by suggesting the new champion was less than genuine when discussing how their rematch came about.
"Luke says that he's on a different level than everybody else and he's by far the best fighter and he can destroy anybody and this, that and the other," Bisping said. "Well, if that is the case, then it turns out he's a liar, because the guy has a bit of a v----- inside him because he turned down Ronaldo 'Jacare,' whatever his name is. He turned the fight down. I didn't turn this fight down."
He upped the ante by claiming Rockhold only picked him because Bisping was filming a movie -- and not in heavy training -- when Weidman dropped out.
"You're the best, but I choose Bisping," Bisping said mocking a conversation Rockhold had with Jacare. "'He's on a movie set, let's pick him. Pick the easy fight.' You picked wrong."
The Rockhold-Bisping matchup will top a five-bout event that goes live at 10 p.m. ET.
Here's how the rest of the card shakes out with updated odds via UFC.com.
| UFC 199 Fight Card | ||
| Weight Class | Favorite | Underdog |
| Middleweight | Luke Rockhold (-700) | Michael Bisping (+525) |
| Bantamweight | Dominick Cruz (-475) | Urijah Faber (+375) |
| Featherweight | Max Holloway (-305) | Ricardo Lamas (+255) |
| Middleweight | Hector Lombard (-375) | Dan Henderson (+310) |
| Lightweight | Dustin Poirier (-210) | Bobby Green (+180) |
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Rockhold is a significant favorite. It'll take an $700 wager to return a $100 profit on him, while a $100 outlay on Bisping would return a cool $575 for an upset.
| Rockhold vs. Bisping Tale of the Tape | ||
| Fighter | Luke Rockhold | Michael Bisping |
| Record | 15-2, 13 KO/Sub | 29-7, 18 KO/Sub |
| Height | 6-foot-3 | 6-foot-1 |
| Reach | 77" | 72" |
| Leg reach | 45" | 44" |
| Weight | 185 | 185 |
| Age | 31 | 37 |
| Hometown | Santa Cruz, California | Manchester, England |
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How Bisping wins: He didn't last two rounds with a full training camp last time, so it'll be a Herculean task for the older man to survive -- let alone win -- with two weeks of preparation. Nevertheless, you can expect him to keep the action vertical for as long as possible while he tries to frustrate Rockhold into a mistake. If an opening appears, he could take advantage.
Prediction: Recent UFC history indicates a big favorite meeting a huge underdog coming in on short notice is no lock - see: McGregor, Conor - but it's far more difficult to foresee a path for Bisping than it was for a bigger Nate Diaz. Here, Rockhold is a confident guy looking to establish himself with an impressive win. No real reason to believe he won't get it in two rounds or less.
