Bisping is the new middleweight champion. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
In current UFC times, it's not exactly rare for rematches to take place in title fights. However, it seems that this should not happen in the middleweight category, as the new champion, Michael Bisping, revealed that his first title defense will be against another fighter other than Luke Rockhold.
See too
Rockhold, widely considered a favorite before UFC 199, last Saturday (4), was surprised and knocked out by Bisping in the first round. The two debated intensely at the post-fight press conference, but the rematch, it seems, will have to wait.
"Right now, Luke Rockhold It won't be my first defense. It's a fact. When I lost to him, I had to start over and beat three more guys before I got another chance. Surely with his behavior on Saturday he should go out and do the same thing. The first fight was two years ago, when neither of us were champions. He became champion, good for him, and I knocked him out. Luke is an incredible fighter, probably more technically skilled than me. He needs to go back and recover the old-fashioned way, like I had to do”, analyzed Bisping, in an interview with the website of the North American channel “ESPN”.
So who will be the Englishman's first challenger? “Unfortunately, I will not name names. I have another name in mind, but at the end of the day, it's up to the UFC. As I'm a champion, I have a little say, which is cool. But I've never denied an opponent and I'm certainly not going to start doing that as champion. Let's see what happens. There are many viable challengers, and defending the title in England is something I would love to do. I have already made it clear to Dana White that this is what I would like to do”, he clarified.
Some fighters have already expressed their desire to challenge Bisping next, like Rockhold himself, Ronaldo Jacare, Chris Weidman and even the veteran Dan Henderson.
Comments