"His check hook finally landed after 15 years" - Fans react to Luke Rockhold knocking out Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45 after 0-5 skid

Luke Rockhold surprised fight fans with a clean knockout win over Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45.

Rockhold's losses towards the end of his MMA career significantly impacted his reputation and erased the memory of his dominant run in the UFC and Strikeforce.

At 39, Rockhold turned the clock back when he fought fellow MMA fighter and kickboxer Schilling in a five-round main event fight in Dubai, UAE, on April 20.

In Round 3, Rockhold dropped Schilling with a right hook and followed up with ground strikes. The referee waved off the fight as Schilling did not fight back.

Watch the finish below:

Fight fans showed their appreciation for Rockhold on social media and gave some witty reactions to his win.

@Erik_Hates_You commented:

"Finally his check hook finally landed after 15 years."

@oDONN96 wrote:

"Against one of the best in the world too"

Catch more fan reactions below:

Fan reactions to Rockhold's KO win

Winning the UFC middleweight title with a Round 4 TKO win over Chris Weidman in December 2015 was the high-water mark of Rockhold's MMA career. While many expected him to dominate the division with a strong striking and grappling skillset, the AKA standout lost the title to Michael Bisping in his next outing.

A win over David Branch gave hope for Rockhold's career resurrection. But he could never climb back to the top as Yoel Romero and Jan Blachowicz viciously knocked him out in subsequent bouts. Rockhold had unsuccessful stints in Polaris and BKFC, losing to Nicky Rod and Mike Perry, respectively.

Rockhold briefly returned to the UFC and faced Paulo Costa at UFC 278 in August 2022. Both men had their moments in the fight but Rockhold lost via unanimous decision.

The win over Schilling marks Rockhold's first competitive victory since September 2017.