Luke Rockhold (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Luke Rockhold wasn’t inline to fight for the UFC’s middleweight title next, but the former champ’s not on board with the promotion’s decision to give Georges St-Pierre a title shot.

Recently the UFC announced that St-Pierre is returning to the Octagon, and that he’ll fight middleweight champion Michael Bisping sometime later this year. Since Yoel Romero is currently the #1 ranked contender at 185, and due to the fact GSP has never competed as a middleweight with the UFC, the fight’s been criticized by more than a few.

Case in point, recently Rockhold had this to say about the bout, while talking to Submission Radio (quote via Bloody Elbow):

“Unfortunate that they took the route they took,” Rockhold said. “I understand the business and I understand what they’re doing but I don’t think they’re really thinking ahead in making this fight. I think there’s a lot of better options other than tying up the division and making this thing happen. I don’t think Bisping’s a draw. He hasn’t proven to be a draw, so what’s the point of putting GSP in there with him, a man that’s never obviously fought at middleweight and has been out for three years? I think him (GSP) and Nick Diaz, I think him Anderson Silva, I think there’s a lot of other fights that make the money they need and then sells that without doing what they had to do.”

Rockhold went on to say that he believes St-Pierre has no intention of defending the middleweight title against a top contender, if he defeats Bisping. Rockhold, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since last June when he was knocked out by Bisping and lost the 185 belt. The decorated fighter is currently recovering from a knee injury.