Michael Bisping made history when he achieved a knockout victory over Luke Rockhold in June; by becoming Britain’s first UFC champion, Bisping surprised a lot of online MMA betting enthusiasts.
With his win naturally attracting a lot of speculation about his future, Bisping came out recently to provide a few answers to some fan queries, revealing that he was planning to field three defenses of his title before retirement.
The Middleweight champion’s first opportunity to defend his title will come when he faces Dan Henderson on October 8th. Bisping assured fans that he had no intention of being another short-lived UFC champion, losing his belt so soon after winning it.
Anyone that follows MMA knows how frequently belts change hands. The sport is brimming with talent and everyone naturally wants a shot at the belt, which is why staying at the top is such a difficult task.
Bisping has no intention of going down so easily, saying in a recent interview that he hadn’t destroyed his looks, messing his body up and accruing so many scars to so quickly lose his title to Dan Henderson, especially not in a fight situated in his hometown.
Bisping will face Henderson in Manchester at five in the morning. The champion grew up in Clitheroe which is just a few miles from the city center.
Bisping hasn’t downplayed the monumental nature of his victory over Rockhold. Regardless of what anyone thinks about the difficulty of the match, Bisping’s defeat over Rockhold allowed him to achieve a lifelong dream. It is a victory he will cherish for years to come.
However, Bisping intends to put even more into the battle against Henderson, fighting at least two more times after his victory in Manchester in order to cement his hold over his title.
Bisping was recently asked how much longer he intended to fight, and his answer was surprisingly straightforward. Bisping suggested that he might leave the sport once he loses his belt.
However, if he can squeeze three title defenses out of the UFC before losing the belt, then Bisping will be a happy man. Bisping also suggested that he would simply retire after defending his title thrice, though, that is easier said than done.
The sport is very alluring, especially for title winners like Bisping. And the financial rewards aren’t too bad either. Bisping was pretty candid about his expectations in the UFC, specifically suggesting that, as a 37-year-old man, he wasn’t likely to survive ten more years as a fighter.
Bisping has been ruffling feathers ever since he defeated Rockhold, with many contenders calling him out in recent months for a chance to grasp the title.
Bisping seems a little picky about those fighters he might have in mind for his other title defenses after Henderson. The middleweight champion has shown very little interest in giving Luke Rockhold another shot, frequently mentioning the fact that he took Rockhold out in a single round.
He also dismissed Chris Weidman primarily because Rockhold beat him to a pulp. Bisping was less dismissive of Jacare Souza. At the moment, though, Bisping needs to focus on defending his title against Henderson.