Michael Bisping was in a chipper mood on Wednesday’s edition of UFC Tonight on FOX Sports 1.
And why shouldn’t he be? Bisping, who has been sidelined due to a detached retina, got some good news from the doctor earlier in the day.
“I was at the doctors this morning, they’ve given me the green light to start proper training again,” said Bisping. “I’ve been running and lifting weights for awhile. Now I can get back in the gym and start working on a few things.”
The bombastic British middleweight, whose last fight was a victory over Alan Belcher at UFC 159, believe a springtime return is in order.
“I can definitely fight around March or April next year,” he said.
As for who Bisping should face in his return bout? Bisping had words with Tim Kennedy over Twitter recently. But he sounded ambivalent about the prospects of meeting the Army Ranger.
“I wouldn’t say there’s been back and forth with Tim Kennedy,” Bisping said. “I’d say there’s been Tim Kennedy chomping at the bit, trying to make a name for himself. he came over from Strikeforce, he’s had a couple wins over people I’ve never heard of, and he’s trying to get some notoriety. Of course, people like to call me out, I’m no stranger to that. Good for him.
“I’ve never turned down an opponent once, I’m not going to start with Tim Kennedy,” Bisping continued. “If that’s who the UFC wants, I’ll be happy to fight him. Myself personally, I would like someone ranked a little higher up the ladder, someone in the top five maybe. But it’s down to the UFC.”
Bisping later offered that a fight with Lyoto Machida, whom he was originally scheduled to face in October, or one with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, would appeal to him.