WATCH: Luke Rockhold gets manhandled by former champ Khabib Nurmagomedov in wrestling practice

WATCH: Luke Rockhold gets manhandled by former champ Khabib Nurmagomedov in wrestling practice

Luke Rockhold and Khabib Nurmagomedov train together

If you thought Khabib Nurmagomedov as a 155-pounder was strong, post-retirement Khabib’s video of ragdolling Luke Rockhold will have you reconsidering the strength of the former lightweight.

Luke Rockhold is eyeing a return in 2022 to take on former middleweight title contender Paulo Costa at UFC 277. The former champ is returning to the octagon after nearly two years of hiatus and will be looking to get back on the winning column. Luke’s time in the octagon has not been the best in recent years.

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Rockhold fights out of the American Kickboxing Academy [AKA gym] in San Jose, California. AKA is the home of several champions including Cain Velasquez, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, and Rockhold himself. After training in California with coach Henri Hooft, Rockhold returns to AKA in order to train for his middleweight matchup against Paulo Costa on July 31st.

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Related “I was burnt out”- Luke Rockhold opens up about contemplating retirement from fighting

Khabib jokes with Luke Rockhold in training

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Luke Rockhold
Khabib and Rockhold train together after years

Luke took to Instagram to announce his return to the American Kickboxing Academy and the fighter was secure enough to post a video of him and the former lightweight champ grappling like the old days. Khabib is seen clearly manhandling the middleweight fighter on the mat as the Dagestani jokes, “I miss you brother so I hug you” as he continues to control Rockhold.

Luke is coming off two consecutive devastating defeats to Yoel Romero and Jan Blachowicz in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The former middleweight champion has suffered the lowest of lows in the octagon and has also contemplated hanging his gloves. Rockhold has fallen victim to some of the brutal knockouts in the history of UFC but Luke is back to give his career one last chance and hopes to turn things around.

https://youtu.be/1Ql42PL-_JY

The former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion will fight the electrifying Paulo Costa in two months, do you think the 37-year-old can beat the Brazilian?

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