As both Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold prepare for their UFC Fight Night 55 main event grudge match in November, both guys recently took the time to discuss why they have such animosity towards each other.
In speaking to MMAJunkie.com, Bisping admitted that after all the feuds he’s been in, he starts to wonder if maybe there’s just something about him that causes this.
“One does start to question oneself. It makes me wonder if I am truly an assh*le.”
For his part, Rockhold admits outright that he doesn’t like Bisping, but says he won’t let that get in the way of their fight, because the only other time he had a grudge going into a fight — against Vitor Belfort — it resulted in a loss, one of only two in his entire professional career.
“There’s genuine dislike, for me at least, for Michael,” Rockhold said. “I don’t like the way the guy carries himself. I don’t get too emotional. I don’t really get into these bickering wars with most people, unless I don’t like somebody. There have really only been two guys I’ve gone at it with, and that’s [Bisping] and Vitor. I’ve learned how to separate myself from getting too emotional over it. I did that with Vitor, and it’s not going to happen again.”
When asked why he doesn’t like Bisping, the American Kickboxing Academy fighter made it clear why it’s pretty simple.
“Because he’s a prick and most people don’t like him,” Rockhold said. “I think that’s it, straight up.”
Bisping claims that Rockhold’s hatred towards him could cost him in the fight, something he is going out of his way to add to.
“Every time I’m in the same room with him for an interview or something, he’s fighting the urge to punch me in the face,” Bisping said. “For me, I’m on the other side. I’m getting a kick out of it, winding him up even more. I’m acting a certain way in front of him, but those aren’t my true feelings. I know Luke Rockhold’s a tough fighter, and he’s going to be tough on the night. But I’m winding him up, hoping to take him out of his game, and now he’s talking about trying to finish me in the first round. Will it be detrimental to his game? Who knows, but he’s really worked up and he’ll probably come out guns blazing in the first round. But will he still be able to do that in the second, third, fourth?”
Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold headlines UFC Fight Night 55 at the AllPhones Arena in Sydney, Australia on November 7, 2014, airing exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
Talk about this on our official FACEBOOK page, or on our official TWITTER page. You can also talk about it in our popular FORUMS.
