Max Rohskopf Wrestling Career

[Juanma25 13]

Was looking through MMA results from this past weekend and surprised to see Max Rohskopf name popping up.  Always wondered what happened to him and what cut his career short at NC state.  I remember pinning Murphy in the ASC but never finishing the season or eligibility.  Did he get injured and decide to pursue MMA full time?

Hope he recovers from this past weekend and is successful in whatever future he pursues.

[Antitroll2828 535]

13 minutes ago, Juanma25 said:

Was looking through MMA results from this past weekend and surprised to see Max Rohskopf name popping up.  Always wondered what happened to him and what cut his career short at NC state.  I remember pinning Murphy in the ASC but never finishing the season or eligibility.  Did he get injured and decide to pursue MMA full time?

Hope he recovers from this past weekend and is successful in whatever future he pursues.

He got hurt, I think maybe his shoulder, could have gotten the year back but decided to go full time mma training instead but unfortunately after listening to corner audio from his fight this weekend I doubt he gets a real chance for a very long time and that’s even if he decides to keep fighting 

Edited June 22, 2020 by Antitroll2828

[Housebuye 2,072]

Not exactly sure why he gave up, but that type of stuff makes fans not support you. He gave up. In MMA you just can’t do that. This was his chance to pick up a bunch of fans. 
  
For those who didn’t watch, he basically got whooped on the feet for 2 rounds and got a takedown or two. He mostly couldn’t get anything going.

Between rounds 2 and 3 he told his corner he couldn’t continue. His coach tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted 9 times that he couldn’t continue. 
  
it could be totally justified. Maybe he couldn’t see or felt like he was having a heart attack. Either way, fans now will think of him as the quitter.

He did take the fight in short notice and it was by far the biggest event of his life, but that stuff doesn’t matter in pro sports. 
  
I’m bummed. I’m a fan of his, I’m a fan of NC State, and I love MMA. 

[ShakaAloha 89]

2 minutes ago, Housebuye said:

Not exactly sure why he gave up, but that type of stuff makes fans not support you. He gave up. In MMA you just can’t do that. This was his chance to pick up a bunch of fans. 
  
For those who didn’t watch, he basically got whooped on the feet for 2 rounds and got a takedown or two. He mostly couldn’t get anything going.

Between rounds 2 and 3 he told his corner he couldn’t continue. His coach tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted 9 times that he couldn’t continue. 
  
it could be totally justified. Maybe he couldn’t see or felt like he was having a heart attack. Either way, fans now will think of him as the quitter.

He did take the fight in short notice and it was by far the biggest event of his life, but that stuff doesn’t matter in pro sports. 
  
I’m bummed. I’m a fan of his, I’m a fan of NC State, and I love MMA. 

Thanks for the summary of his fight.  Bummer.  :(

[Antitroll2828 535]

1 hour ago, Housebuye said:

Not exactly sure why he gave up, but that type of stuff makes fans not support you. He gave up. In MMA you just can’t do that. This was his chance to pick up a bunch of fans. 
  
For those who didn’t watch, he basically got whooped on the feet for 2 rounds and got a takedown or two. He mostly couldn’t get anything going.

Between rounds 2 and 3 he told his corner he couldn’t continue. His coach tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted 9 times that he couldn’t continue. 
  
it could be totally justified. Maybe he couldn’t see or felt like he was having a heart attack. Either way, fans now will think of him as the quitter.

He did take the fight in short notice and it was by far the biggest event of his life, but that stuff doesn’t matter in pro sports. 
  
I’m bummed. I’m a fan of his, I’m a fan of NC State, and I love MMA. 

In the audio he coach tells him he can beat the guy and he repeatedly says no I can’t I’m done I can’t beat him then he says I don’t wanna do this anymore 

 

that stuff right there will hurt his career worse then if he went out in the 3rd round and got knocked out 

Edited June 22, 2020 by Antitroll2828

[Housebuye 2,072]

9 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

In the audio he coach tells him he can beat the guy and he repeatedly says no I can’t I’m done I can’t beat him then he says I don’t wanna do this anymore 

 

that stuff right there will hurt his career worse then if he went out in the 3rd round and got knocked out 

Yup. Totally agree

[Juanma25 13]

I was bummed to read about it too but hope he recovers mentally and physically from it.  Sounded like he took the fight on short notice. I would hate to be gassing hard with 5 minutes to go and someone wanting to rip my head off in the other corner.  He may not have won himself new fans but saved a few brain cells if he didn't have the ability to defend himself. 

 

Even though there has only been a few I've read about in MMA there's a lot of incredibly sad stories in boxing for fighters who took prolonged beatings. Somewhere in even the bravest fighters minds its got to be in the back of their head that there are no guarantees they make it out of there alive.

[Plasmodium 1,572]

1 hour ago, Antitroll2828 said:

In the audio he coach tells him he can beat the guy and he repeatedly says no I can’t I’m done I can’t beat him then he says I don’t wanna do this anymore 

 

that stuff right there will hurt his career worse then if he went out in the 3rd round and got knocked out 

Getting ktfo has its own pitfalls. 

[ConnorsDad 555]

12 hours ago, Housebuye said:

Not exactly sure why he gave up, but that type of stuff makes fans not support you. He gave up. In MMA you just can’t do that. This was his chance to pick up a bunch of fans. 
  
For those who didn’t watch, he basically got whooped on the feet for 2 rounds and got a takedown or two. He mostly couldn’t get anything going.

Between rounds 2 and 3 he told his corner he couldn’t continue. His coach tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted 9 times that he couldn’t continue. 
  
it could be totally justified. Maybe he couldn’t see or felt like he was having a heart attack. Either way, fans now will think of him as the quitter.

He did take the fight in short notice and it was by far the biggest event of his life, but that stuff doesn’t matter in pro sports. 
  
I’m bummed. I’m a fan of his, I’m a fan of NC State, and I love MMA. 

Same here House. Stunned when I heard what happened. 

[lost 106]

Stepping into a cage for two rounds is more then I've ever done, so I have to give respect there.  But it seems clear he doesn't have the mindset to be a pro fighter.  Nothing wrong with that, most of us probably don't either.

[Billyhoyle 1,987]

A lot of wrestlers have been successful in MMA, but most don’t have what it takes to make the transition to UFC. Bigger name wrestlers have had equally bad collapses (Pico, Askren, Rosholt). No shame in what he did. I dislike a lot of what Dana White says, but his thoughts on this situation were spot on-essentially he said that the moment an athlete realizes he shouldn’t fight or it’s not for him, then he shouldn’t fight. 

[Housebuye 2,072]

44 minutes ago, Billyhoyle said:

A lot of wrestlers have been successful in MMA, but most don’t have what it takes to make the transition to UFC. Bigger name wrestlers have had equally bad collapses (Pico, Askren, Rosholt). No shame in what he did. I dislike a lot of what Dana White says, but his thoughts on this situation were spot on-essentially he said that the moment an athlete realizes he shouldn’t fight or it’s not for him, then he shouldn’t fight. 

Pico never fought in the UFC. 
  
rosholt has some high level wins before losing. I was at 3 of his UfC fights live (I did some work with Team Takedown, so Shane roller, Johnny Hendricks, Rosholts, etc...spent some time with them). Unrelated, but one time I rolled with Hendricks. I knew I’d get my ass beat, but thought it would be fun. It was not fun.

Anyways...Askren was 1 or 2 fights way from a title when he lost. 
  
those aren’t great examples imo. Also none of those guys quit mid fight ever. I really hate that Max did that. 

[Billyhoyle 1,987]

29 minutes ago, Housebuye said:

Pico never fought in the UFC. 
  
rosholt has some high level wins before losing. I was at 3 of his UfC fights live (I did some work with Team Takedown, so Shane roller, Johnny Hendricks, Rosholts, etc...spent some time with them). Unrelated, but one time I rolled with Hendricks. I knew I’d get my ass beat, but thought it would be fun. It was not fun.

Anyways...Askren was 1 or 2 fights way from a title when he lost. 
  
those aren’t great examples imo. Also none of those guys quit mid fight ever. I really hate that Max did that. 

Pico’s career is on its last leg at age 23 and he does not appear close to making it to the ufc.

Rosholt was the first really big time wrestler (multiple time ncaa champ) to enter MMA right out of college and did not do much at all.

 

Askren had three fights in the UFC-he lost 2 and really should have lost 3. He clearly was never a top fighter, but made some really nice money for years beating up people with 0 takedown defense.

 

My point is just that there is no shame in what happened. Many better wrestlers don’t make it. 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Billyhoyle

[VakAttack 2,602]

There's no point in going out just to get hurt.  He took the fight on 5 days notice, and his body wasn't ready for it.  Hopefully he can recover mentally.

[ShakaAloha 89]

5 hours ago, Housebuye said:

rosholt has some high level wins before losing. I was at 3 of his UfC fights live (I did some work with Team Takedown, so Shane roller, Johnny Hendricks, Rosholts, etc...spent some time with them). Unrelated, but one time I rolled with Hendricks. I knew I’d get my ass beat, but thought it would be fun. It was not fun.

Any cool stories from your time with them that you'd be willing to share?

I'm around the same age as Jake and went to JRob's with him and Jared one year...great guys.

[Coach_J 2,051]

Not defending Rohskopf--everyone's entitled to their view of what happened--but short notice for a fight is tough and, if everyone's being honest, there are just days you don't have it.  Can remember some competitions where the legs just weren't there, the timing was off, etc.  It happens.  One huge difference is Rohskopf was taking blows to the head on his off day and not getting outslicked on a mat.

Dana White's opinion as far as Rohskopf's future is more important than anyone's on a board.  White doesn't pull punches and is quick to call someone out for an embarrassing performance.  His take:

“Let me tell you what: In this (expletive) sport, if you’re done, you’re done. You should absolutely be able to quit. I know that it’s frowned upon, but guess what? Anybody that would talk (expletive) about you quitting isn’t in there fighting. It’s real easy to be a critic. With what these kids do, this is a whole ‘nother level, man. … When you get here, this is a whole different level, man.

“He’s gotta get up tomorrow and look himself in the mirror and figure out who he is and what he wants to do,” White said.

“There is no shame in getting here and finding out that you’re not it. There’s no shame in that at all. He gave it a shot, didn’t work out. Anybody who would try to ridicule a kid like that, (expletive) you. Come try it. Come try and do what he did tonight. Very few people can do it.”

[Plasmodium 1,572]

5 hours ago, Coach_J said:

Not defending Rohskopf--everyone's entitled to their view of what happened--but short notice for a fight is tough and, if everyone's being honest, there are just days you don't have it.  Can remember some competitions where the legs just weren't there, the timing was off, etc.  It happens.  One huge difference is Rohskopf was taking blows to the head on his off day and not getting outslicked on a mat.

Dana White's opinion as far as Rohskopf's future is more important than anyone's on a board.  White doesn't pull punches and is quick to call someone out for an embarrassing performance.  His take:

“Let me tell you what: In this (expletive) sport, if you’re done, you’re done. You should absolutely be able to quit. I know that it’s frowned upon, but guess what? Anybody that would talk (expletive) about you quitting isn’t in there fighting. It’s real easy to be a critic. With what these kids do, this is a whole ‘nother level, man. … When you get here, this is a whole different level, man.

“He’s gotta get up tomorrow and look himself in the mirror and figure out who he is and what he wants to do,” White said.

“There is no shame in getting here and finding out that you’re not it. There’s no shame in that at all. He gave it a shot, didn’t work out. Anybody who would try to ridicule a kid like that, (expletive) you. Come try it. Come try and do what he did tonight. Very few people can do it.”

I think White is too hard on him, but Bellator and other organizations exist.  Rohskopf will get more opportunities if he wants them. 

[Coach_J 2,051]

I actually felt White was very understanding and NOT critical of Rohskopf; White's usually not one to get too bogged down in empathy but he extended it to the fighter.  I didn't get the impression UFC was ditching Rohskopf and inferred White was talking specifically about this one bout and not Rohskopf's future with his organization.  I guess we'll see.

[goStanford18 10]

For further reading and to hear from Rohskopf, himself: https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/6/24/21301297/max-rohskopf-breaks-silence-on-ufc-on-espn-11-decision-to-call-fight-on-stool

 

I'm having a hard time understanding how there are posters here criticizing Max's decision to throw in the towel.  He was competitive in the first round then completely outclassed across all three judges' scorecards in the second round, 10-8. Does this mean he had already lost the fight? Of course, not. But the round apparently killed his self-confidence in that match. If a fighter says they're done, then they're done. I'm not sure how one can rationalize it's better to go out in the cage and take more damage. This isn't wrestling. He isn't risking just being controlled on his own back for a few moments; he's risking getting KTFO'd or submitted--and I assume most casual MMA fans have seen some gruesome KO's and submissions. 

 

From White's quote, I presume he wholeheartedly agrees. There's nothing wrong with calling it quits. I guess Max may have lost the supposed fanaticism from a lot of "tough" guy posters who would have rather seen Max continue to get pummeled for another 5 minutes. FYI, a 10-8 round is quite the beating. 

 

Max took the fight to compete. He was done competing. It takes a lot of humility to admit defeat. Kudos to Max for putting his pride aside. Live to fight another day or walk away from the sport completely. Both are fine options.

 

 

 

 

[ConnorsDad 555]

On 6/23/2020 at 5:51 AM, lost said:

Stepping into a cage for two rounds is more then I've ever done, so I have to give respect there.  But it seems clear he doesn't have the mindset to be a pro fighter.  Nothing wrong with that, most of us probably don't either.

He may not have what it takes but I don't think one incident can determine that. It might if it was his first match and he did that but he is fairly experienced and has done well. Granted this is the first time he's ever been getting beaten soundly but he did take it on short notice. It certainly may take a while before he gets another shot but I don't think we can determine from this one match whether he has what it takes.

[ConnorsDad 555]

On 6/23/2020 at 8:53 AM, VakAttack said:

There's no point in going out just to get hurt.  He took the fight on 5 days notice, and his body wasn't ready for it.  Hopefully he can recover mentally.

Thank you. His career as a wrestler and thus far in MMA shows the guy is not a quitter. Granted it's not a good look but like you said he took it on 5 days notice.

[1032004 809]

1 hour ago, goStanford18 said:

For further reading and to hear from Rohskopf, himself: https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/6/24/21301297/max-rohskopf-breaks-silence-on-ufc-on-espn-11-decision-to-call-fight-on-stool

 

I'm having a hard time understanding how there are posters here criticizing Max's decision to throw in the towel.  He was competitive in the first round then completely outclassed across all three judges' scorecards in the second round, 10-8. Does this mean he had already lost the fight? Of course, not. But the round apparently killed his self-confidence in that match. If a fighter says they're done, then they're done. I'm not sure how one can rationalize it's better to go out in the cage and take more damage. This isn't wrestling. He isn't risking just being controlled on his own back for a few moments; he's risking getting KTFO'd or submitted--and I assume most casual MMA fans have seen some gruesome KO's and submissions. 

 

From White's quote, I presume he wholeheartedly agrees. There's nothing wrong with calling it quits. I guess Max may have lost the supposed fanaticism from a lot of "tough" guy posters who would have rather seen Max continue to get pummeled for another 5 minutes. FYI, a 10-8 round is quite the beating. 

 

Max took the fight to compete. He was done competing. It takes a lot of humility to admit defeat. Kudos to Max for putting his pride aside. Live to fight another day or walk away from the sport completely. Both are fine options.

 

 

 

 

 

Wait so in the interview he basically says his coach was right?

A lot of those quotes are not exactly flattering of himself.  Obviously most people don’t either, but it seems he doesn’t really have the mental toughness to be competitive in the UFC. Maybe he needs to go train with Dake at a different latitude.