Rockhold seeks respect from Strikeforce fight with Jardine

Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold believes he won't get the respect he deserves until he proves his ability against some of the top fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Until he gets that chance, he'll have to settle for a UFC-style marketing push and a first title defense against a UFC castoff.

Rockhold, who has won all seven fights since signing with Strikeforce, will defend the belt against Keith Jardine tonight on a card at the Hard Rock Hotel.

With Strikeforce agreeing to a new deal with Showtime that keeps the UFC-owned organization around for at least the next year, along with a renewed commitment from the UFC to push the brand, Rockhold has noticed the increased marketing blitz for this fight.

He was shown on last week's UFC pay-per-view event, and on Friday he tweeted a photo of his picture on a billboard in front of the Thomas & Mack Center.

"It's nice to have the whole UFC marketing machine behind you. It does wonders for you. It feels good, but I also want to fight the top fighters in the world," Rockhold said. "Until then, I'll get excited with what I have."

The 27-year-old champion calls Jardine, who was released from the UFC in 2010 after four straight losses and fought to a draw in his only Strikeforce appearance in April, "far-fetched" as a title challenger.

Still, he thinks Jardine's name recognition alone will help in his goal of becoming the world's top middleweight.

"I've thought about it outside the box a little," Rockhold said. "This is my first main event. He does have a big name, so it will bring some eyes and ears to the card and beating him will show me to the rest of the public and open up some other avenues for me. It could be big."

While three of Strikeforce's champions have been brought to the UFC -- and gone 3-0 against former UFC champions in their debut fights -- Rockhold and lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez have remained behind to help keep the brand relevant.

If Rockhold is to remain in Strikeforce for the near future, and it appears he will, he would like to see some UFC contenders brought over to compete on his turf.

"I think we need to push for those fights, and those fights need to happen. How are we going to know who's the best in the world if we don't have those fights?" he said. "I believe I can compete with and beat anyone in the world. For now, I'm just going to keep beating people in Strikeforce."

That starts with Jardine, who made his name as a light heavyweight but will be fighting at 185 pounds for the first time in his career. He says the title shot at middleweight feels like the "sum of a whole career of hard work."

"We'll see (tonight) if I deserve to be there or not," he said.

Jardine took his UFC release as an opportunity to reinvent himself and is eager to prove himself against Rockhold, who he says is his ideal opponent.

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, Rockhold's teammate at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., also thought Rockhold looked like a favorable matchup the first time he saw him in the gym.

"I was thinking, 'I can't wait to spar with this fake Ken doll and knock him around a little bit.' Whoo, he beat me up," Lawal said. "I wish y'all could watch him just train. I'm going to vouch for this dude. He's official. I'll tell you right now, my boy is legit. He's one of the top three middleweights in the world."

Lawal, a former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, also will be in action, taking on unbeaten prospect Lorenz Larkin.

The winner probably will be in line to fight for the light heavyweight belt that was vacated when Dan Henderson moved back into the UFC. A similar situation is presented to Jordan Mein and unbeaten Tyron Woodley, with the winner possibly earning a shot at the welterweight belt Nick Diaz left behind.

Also, veteran middleweight Robbie Lawler will take on Adlan Amagov.

The main card airs tape-delayed at 10 p.m. on Showtime (Cable 240). The four-fight undercard airs on Showtime Extreme (Cable 243) at 8.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.