There’s unsettled business between Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold. Despite Bisping beating Rockhold convincingly last year, KO’ing the Californian in the first round to win the middleweight title, both men are still at each other’s throats.
Bisping, 38, said that, instead of ‘sulking’ over his championship fight with Georges St-Pierre, Rockhold needs to ‘claw’ his way back to a title shot by fighting ‘bum’ Chris Weidman.
“He hasn’t fought since I knocked him out in three minutes – yes, three minutes – out cold,” Bisping said on UFC Tonight shortly after Luke Rockhold’s win against David Branch last weekend (h/t Fernanda Prates of MMA Junkie).
“Then he comes back. He fights – who was it, David Branch? Never heard of him. You should go and rematch Chris Weidman – (they’re) a couple of bums. Try and claw your way back to the top.”
Rockhold, who beat Weidman in a championship epic at UFC 194, said ‘The Count’s’ title reign is the worst in UFC history and believes his title defense against St-Pierre is a farce.
The American Kickboxing Academy product also fired back at Bisping on Twitter, claiming that Dan Henderson beat his ‘ass’ at UFC 204 last year.
I said contender you fool. Hendo was ranked 14th and beat your ass.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) September 22, 2017
Bisping, who trains out of California, returned to home soil last October to defend his belt against Henderson in Manchester, England. The Lancastrian beat Hendo via unanimous decision, but many feel the result could have gone either way. Henderson, who announced his retirement after the bout, knocked out Bisping at UFC 100 and dropped Bisping several times at UFC 204.
Bisping is expected to defend his 185-pound strap against GSP at the upcoming UFC 217 pay-per-view. The event takes place on November 4 at Madison Square Garden, New York.
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