We have witnessed time and again that discussing sparring sessions can lead to controversies. So when Daniel Cormier once publicly revealed a long-hidden locker room secret, claiming that Islam Makhachev had submitted Luke Rockhold, all hell broke loose. Though he kept mum for years, the former middleweight champion shared his side of the story just days ago. What did he say?

He was on the JAXXON podcast, where he stated, “I’m just saying I rolled with Islam a lot, he’s very good. I’ve rolled with [Arman], I don’t think it will be as hard. No, [Islam never submitted me]. I love the guy, he’s dangerous, he’s hard as hell, him and Khabib. I was 185 pounds, they were 155 pounds.” But no, things don’t end here. Though he was laughing, he went off on Cormier.

“Daniel Cormier is the biggest liar,” Rockhold said. “How do you think he makes good TV? Because he just lies his way through TV. One thing that Daniel would always say, ‘if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.’ He would slip fingers, he would do whatever he’s gotta do to get out of there.”

Well, ‘DC’ hasn’t responded to Rockhold yet. However, UFC referee John McCarthy shared his thoughts on the matter. On the ‘WEIGHING IN’ podcast on YouTube, he stated:

“Being honest with you, when he sits there, and he says he has never been submitted by Islam [Makhachev], that’s a hard one to believe. Maybe if it was a free roll, he never was. But there has got to be some point in training where he was giving a position, or starting off in a bad position for Islam, and Islam was working a technique, and he taps out – that’s being submitted, you know? Sorry.”

“That’s just the way training is, and if you’re worried about it, this is not the sport for you. Tapping out in training is the best and smartest thing you can do, okay? Because that keeps you from being hurt and it helps your teammates get better, and all of it. So, when he says that, I’m not quite buying it.”

Well, since they all trained at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy), it would have been an everyday thing for them to spar together and try out new techniques. In fact, there was a time when AKA was criticized because their fighters were pulling out of fights due to injuries. Think Cain Velasquez and Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, coming back to the discussion at hand, we do understand that fighters don’t want sparring information out.

Remember, in 2022, how Francis Ngannou claimed to knock out Ciryl Gane? He stated the KO was a mistake during sparring. However, Gane’s coach, Fernand Lopez (who also previously coached Ngannou), questioned these statements.

Rockhold, the California native, is a skilled grappler and a BJJ black belt under Leandro Vieira. He was once a dominant force in the UFC middleweight division. His MMA journey began in Strikeforce, where he held the division championship. However, after the UFC acquired Strikeforce, Luke Rockhold faced tough competition in the UFC middleweight division, leaving behind a short but memorable legacy. Though he has since stepped away from MMA, the former middleweight champion still participates in karate and other grappling events.

While Islam Makhachev has not shared his thoughts on it, one thing is clear: Luke Rockhold has immense respect for Makhachev and his skills.

Three years ago: When Luke Rockhold denied Islam Makhachev dominating him

Since stepping into the octagon, Islam Makhachev has been hailed as “Khabib 2.0,” a worthy successor to his mentor and teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov. The reigning champion has steadily built his legacy, inching closer to surpassing the accomplishments of the retired lightweight legend. While Luke Rockhold has denied the rumors that Makhachev ever “rag-dolled” him, he hasn’t shied away from acknowledging the unique skillset that sets the Dagestani prospect apart—something the former middleweight star experienced firsthand during their training sessions.

In an interview with Ariel Helwani three years ago, the former middleweight champion shared a candid account of sparring with Islam Makhachev. When Helwani mentioned that Javier Menzez once stated Makhachev rag-dolled him, Rockhold laughed and stated, “Rag-dolled me? Javier gets a little a little too far down the Russian stream sometimes.”

Luke Rockhold chuckled and further stated, “I don’t know what’s going on with it. Rag-dolled me? He did throw me. I’m not gonna lie.”

“Back in 2015, when I was preparing to fight [Lyoto] Machida, and I remember I was using him [Makhachev], kinda light sparring with him. Like he is this new kid that showed up. He was this fresh-faced 155-pounder… I was underestimating him and I kind of got lazy on the fence and I remember, he hit me with a massive head-and-arm throw… He’s got some trick, no doubt. Ragdoll? Not quite.”

But what’s your opinion on the locker room story involving Islam Makhachev and Luke Rockhold, as revealed by Daniel Cormier? Did ‘DC’ exaggerate the tale to elevate his YouTube and TV shows, or is the former middleweight star’s denial of being submitted by the Dagestani standout truthful? Ultimately, the only person who can settle the debate is the reigning lightweight champion himself.