Chris Weidman believes Michael Bisping doesn’t ‘deserve getting close to a title shot’

While Michael Bisping is determined to one day become a world champion, the current titleholder, Chris Weidman, doesn't even believe he deserves to be in contention.

"The Count" is coming off his first win since UFC 159 when he defeated Cung Le via fourth round TKO last week in Macau. Although his win came against an inactive 42-year-old middleweight, he appears to have clawed his way back into the title picture, since it is believed that the UFC favours a bout against Luke Rockhold next.

It may be a fight that would entertain fans with significant amount of trash talking, but Weidman suggests that is not the right fight for Rockhold.

"I think Lyoto Machida is a tougher fight than Michael Bisping," Weidman said on Wednesday's edition of UFC Tonight. "Bisping is coming off a tough fight from Tim Kennedy, and he beat up Cung Le, who's been inactive. He doesn't deserve getting close to the title shot."

The champion also discussed his upcoming fight with Vitor Belfort, whom he was originally scheduled to face at UFC 175 earlier in the year before the Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) fiasco ensued. While Weidman is aware that Belfort will be disadvantaged without TRT, he believes the Brazilian will still come in top form simply out of motivation to silence his doubters.

"He has a lot of experience. He was a champion when he was 19. I went after him with the TRT thing. He's been caught cheating twice. But I'm expecting the best Vitor ever. He'll be motivated to quiet all the doubters he has. He looks like he's lost muscle. One of his weak points was his cardo, but it'll be stronger now. I'm expecting a tough fight with Vitor."