The verbal jousting between Middleweight rivals Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold continues as the two recalled the infamous sparring session that sparked their hatred from each other during a recent edition of FOX Sports’ “Counterpunch.”
After the pleasantries were out of the way, the tension began filling the room as the two each shared their version of how they remembered that fateful day.
“Luke very kindly came down to help me spar one day. I was preparing for a fight,” Bisping started. “[Later] on this TV show, the were asking me about how the sparring session with Luke went, so then I laughed and said, ‘let’s just say that I’m the unofficial Strikeforce champion.'”
“The Count” continued, “I laughed, everybody laughed and then I even looked at the camera and said ‘Sorry, Luke. I’m just kidding.’ It was a joke. This guy cannot get over it. He has been so upset and is continuously calling me out. So I repaid the favor.”
Rockhold remembers things differently.
“My hands were on my knees for two rounds straight and you couldn’t do a damn thing in the best shape of your life, as I’m switching my stance,” he replied. “Exactly. It’s a sparring session. That is all it is. Why did you even talk about it?”
Bisping fired back, “Hey, listen, you are the guy who is so sensitive about it. I made an off-the-cuff remark. I was having a laugh.”
Rockhold interrupted. “A tasteless remark. Completely tasteless.”
As the conversation clearly began escalating, Bisping continued, “Now we’re going to fight. We’ll get to the bottom of it pretty fast and I’ll knock that smug look off your face, believe you me.”
Rockhold fired back, “I’ll knock that weak little beard off your face too.”
He also offered a prediction on how the fight will play out.
“I will stop Michael Bisping and there’s a number of ways it’s going to be done. I’m not really looking to take him down. Definitely not a submission, that’s not punishment enough for this guy. One of my shots is going to land and he is going to be on the floor.”
You can watch a video of this heated exchange via the YouTube player at the top of this page.
Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold takes place at UFC Fight Night in Sydney, Australia on November 8, 2014.
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