Don’t expect Michael Bisping to engage in a middleweight bout ever again.
Bisping is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title holder. He’s been competing at 185 pounds since 2008 and never missed weight. As his professional mixed martial arts career winds down, “The Count” isn’t keen on returning for a middleweight bout.
Before diving into the middleweight waters, Bisping was a light heavyweight. Following his split decision loss to Rashad Evans, “The Count” felt a move down in weight was the right move. It ultimately was as he knocked out Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 to earn UFC gold for the first time.
A fan recently asked Bisping what his thoughts are on a potential light heavyweight clash between Alexander Gustafsson and Rockhold. Bisping answered and made quite the reveal in the process:
Honestly………… I don’t know. But, I hear the last person I knocked out may be fighting for an interim belt. If he wins I’m in. I’m 225 right now and pretty ripped. Never making 185 again. https://t.co/OWz2gxfSUZ
— michael (@bisping) May 5, 2018
Bisping recently suffered two finishing losses in one month. He was submitted by Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 back in November, losing his middleweight title. That same month, he was knocked out by Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai. Prior to the bout with St-Pierre, Bisping was riding a five-fight winning streak.
“The Count” has made it clear that he wants to ride off into the sunset soon. Bisping contemplated retirement after the St-Pierre fight, but revealed he loved the sport too much to walk away at the time. Bisping admitted that a rubber match with Rockhold and a bout with Nick Diaz intrigues him. He has dismissed bouts with Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares, while being non-committal on a potential clash with Lyoto Machida.
There were talks of Bisping taking on Evans in a rematch, but “The Count” didn’t see the upside to that match-up. A rematch with Vitor Belfort was also discussed, but Bisping refuses to fight “The Phenom.”
Who would you like to see Michael Bisping face next?
