Luke Rockhold in the Octagon at UFC 278. Credit: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

Ex-UFC champ says Luke Rockhold still fighting his inner ‘demons’ after brutal KO loss to Darren Till

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow
By Christopher De Santiago | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 5:52 PM ET

Luke Rockhold isn’t the fighter he used to be.

Once the UFC Middleweight Champion of the world, Rockhold has dropped seven out of his last eight fights in combat sports.

The 40-year-old suffered another sickening KO loss at the hands of former UFC title challenger Darren Till over the weekend in the main event of Misfits 22.

Rockhold had an oxygen mask on after the knockout, with fans telling the former UFC star to hang up the gloves for good.

Regardless of whether he retires, a former champion thinks Rockhold is at war with himself.

Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

Robert Whittaker says Luke Rockhold is ‘still fighting those demons’

Robert Whittaker never shared the Octagon with Rockhold, but he did go five rounds with Darren Till in what was a competitive main event in 2020.

“Till looked good, didn’t he?” Whittaker said of his former foe’s boxing win over Rockhold on Submission Radio.

“I think both guys have been just kind of fighting themselves for this whole time,” the former champ explained.

“I like Rockhold a lot, but to see Till get up, he’s in shape. His hands look crisp. I’m happy for him…

“Rockhold, I think he’s still fighting those demons,” Whittaker added.

“At least he’s getting paid, I assume. He’s getting some money for it. He’s still in the scene.

“It’s hard because I’ve thought about it, post retirement for myself. It’s like, what am I gonna do?” wondered Whittaker.

“My skill set, my trade per se is fighting. I don’t think I’m gonna be going around looking for competitions and local comps to jump into, but I do understand that it’s my trade and then fighting and passing on that knowledge and doing things is gonna be important…

“I hope Rockhold puts it back together, fights his demons, [and] works out what he wants to do. If it is boxing, if it is the fighting scene, then just learn from this. Switch on. Get fitter,” Whittaker advised to Rockhold.

Luke Rockhold was supposed to fight Robert Whittaker for UFC title in 2018

Rockhold’s UFC title reign came and went in 2015-16 when he was knocked out by Michael Bisping at UFC 199 on short notice. Rockhold had won the middleweight title from Chris Weidman just six months before.

Rockhold never got to fight for the undisputed title again.

It is worth noting Rockhold was scheduled to meet then champion Robert Whittaker for the title in the main event of UFC 221 in Perth, Western Australia back in 2018. However, the fight never took place as Whittaker withdrew from the title defense due to injury.