Luke Rockhold (pictured) is "fuming" over comments made yesterday by Lorenz Larkin. Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime

By Joshua Molina

Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold told Full Contact Fighter today that Strikeforce announced a Jan. 12 fight with Lorenz Larkin without ever checking in with him and that he’s been put in bad situation.

“When I heard the announcement I called and told the company I couldn’t train and that I couldn’t fight,” Rockhold said. “I am in a tough situation. In no way shape or form am I ducking anybody.”

Rockhold is fuming over Larkin’s tweets suggesting that Rockhold is not injured, that he could fight if he wants to, but that he is just waiting for Strikeforce to die so that he can go to UFC as champion.

Rockhold, a Santa Cruz surfer who trains at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California, refuted the allegation.

“I am pretty much in the dark right now,” Rockhold said. “I haven’t been told that I am coming over.”

Rockhold said he’s at least 45 days from being able to start a training camp and that he would need at least two months to train from there, eyeing a return in the first quarter of 2013.

As for his hand, the man who once threw out the first pitch at an Oakland A’s game, said he has a sharp pain in his wrist.

“I can’t grip right now,” Rockhold said. “It hurts to parallel park. I can’t train right now. I have done everything in my power. If I could fight, I would.”
Rockhold said he wants to fight Larkin even more now since he started running his mouth.

“@danawhite hey Dana I hurt my right pinky toe guess I can’t fight wish I started 2 years before I did so I could have skipped this pu**y era”

“He’s got my blood pumping,” Rockhold said. “I’d love to shut him up. He’s going about this in the wrong way.”

Rockhold said he doesn’t care if fights in Strikeforce or the UFC. He said he doesn’t truly believe Strikeforce is going to fold in January, as has been reported, but not yet confirmed by Strikeforce.

“I have heard Strikeforce is going to die many times,” Rockhold said. “There’s no way I am going to sit around and wait for a fight. I want to build my chips. I am going to take fights when I can, but I am not going to fight anybody one-handed.”
Rockhold won the title by defeating Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. He has defended his title twice, beating former UFC fighter Keith Jardine and U.S. Army sharpshooter Tim Kennedy.

At 6 foot 3 inches, 185 pounds and movie star good looks, Rockhold has potential to become a crossover star. He’s also been talked about as the heir apparent to Anderson Silva’s middleweight dominance in the UFC.

But Larkin’s tweets and statements that Rockhold isn’t “mentally tough” have tarnished what are likely his final days in Strikeforce. Rather than going out as a warrior in the cage, he’s going out defending himself against Larkin’s comments.

“I can only fight when I am healthy,” Rockhold said. “I am sorry to the fans. It sucks for me to be in this situation.”

If he doesn’t fight Larkin next, Rockhold said he wants to fight a “high caliber” UFC fighter and eventually get a title shot.

“I want to be the best in the world,” Rockhold said.