“Dude’s just doing sidequests” – Ex-UFC champ Luke Rockhold flatlines opponent in Karate Combat fight with brutal right hand; fans go wild

Luke Rockhold flatlines Joe Schilling with a thunderous right hand at the Karate Combat 45 main event in Dubai

“Dude’s just doing sidequests” – Ex-UFC champ Luke Rockhold flatlines opponent in Karate Combat fight with brutal right hand; fans go wild

 Luke Rockhold knocks out Joe Schilling at the Karate Combat 45 event (via X/www.espn.in)

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold made a thunderous return to combat sports. He stepped into the Karate Combat pit at the Karate Combat 45 event in Dubai. The result? A highlight-reel knockout that left fans in awe.

Rockhold fought with brutal hits and matche­d his intensity with seasoned striker Joe­ Schilling. From the start, Rockhold meant to attack and utilize takedowns whenever necessary. He followe­d Schilling relentlessly, and the kickboxer displayed cardio issues by the end of the second round. Both warriors probed cautiously, fe­igning blows and trading light strikes in the main event of Karate Combat 45.

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­Rockhold unleashed a devastating right hand during round three­ as Schilling collapsed to the ground. Rockhold reveled in his savage­ knockout victory over a credentialed kickboxer like Joe Schilling. He raised his arms triumphantly, soaking in the crowd’s roars. At age­ 39, he proved his prowess re­mains undiminished.

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This was Rockhold’s first win since 2017. His last fight in the UFC was against Paulo Costa. He also tried bare-knuckle fighting against Mike Perry but ultimately lost. Rochold ruled out retirement after losing to Perry. Now, he bounced back in a big way against Schilling. The knockout impressed the MMA community very much as witnessed on social media.

Fans react to Luke Rockhold’s intense knockout victory

Luke Rockhold scored a spectacular knockout victory in the Karate Combat 45 main event against Joe Schilling. Rockhold’s devastating fight finale quickly went viral across social media. Rockhold is known for his BJJ but is also an elite striker. Fight fans around the globe reacted with a mixture of awe and amusement.

Fight fans react to Luke Rockhold's knockout
Fight fans react to Luke Rockhold’s knockout (via MMA News)

Many fight fans marveled at Rockhold’s power and precision while others seemed unsurprised by the former champ’s knockout prowess. They insinuated that Rockhold had always been a knockout artist. Some poked fun at Rockhold’s career path, while others congratulated him on his first victory in a long time. Here are some of the reactions from fight fans:

https://twitter.com/ctrainstation/status/1781800464029532326
https://twitter.com/ctrainstation/status/1781800464029532326

No matter their takes, MMA fans worldwide were buzzing about Rockhold’s huge knockout moment. Some felt this might open up a path for his return to the UFC. The veteran’s remarkable hand speed and power reminded everyone why he was once a UFC champion. Rockhold also called out another veteran of UFC, Lyoto Machida. He said he would love to fight against the accomplished Karate fighter in the pit. 

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