After a few years away from the sport, former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre decided to come back to MMA and it was announced earlier this year that he would be moving up to middleweight to fight current champion Michael Bisping. The promotion held a press conference announcing the bout despite not having a date for it. Now that months has passed, UFC President Dana White came out last week to announce that the bout is off due to “GSP” not wanting to fight until after October. With the UFC middleweight division backlogged of worthy title contenders, the promotion has decided that #1 contender Yoel Romero would fight Bisping, who hasn’t fought since an October 2016 title defense over Dan Henderson, for the title.
“I made this ‘GSP’ fight – we did a press conference. The thing was supposed to happen in July. Michael Bisping is going to have to defend his title now. We’re not waiting for ‘GSP,’” White said. “Georges St-Pierre was coming back. Bisping-St Pierre – they both wanted that fight. We asked Yoel to step aside. He did. It doesn’t look like that fight is gonna happen now.
“(Romero) doesn’t need to voice his opinion on why he needs a title shot. He definitely deserves a title shot. He’s next in line – he’s the No.1 ranked guy in the world.”
Ironically, a date for the Bisping – Romero bout has yet to be announced but the opening betting odds have been set. Romero has opened as a hefty -360 (nearly 4-1) favorite over +280 Bisping.
Bisping would be the underdog to St-Pierre despite the size advantage as well. Betting odds for the Bisping – “GSP” bout is still up as St-Pierre is a -155 favorite over +125 underdog Bisping.
Although Bisping has had some late-career success, he still has his doubters when it relates to oddsmakers and the betting public. Bisping was as a -280 favorite over Henderson, but prior to that recent bout, he was the underdog against former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (+230) and then-champ Luke Rockhold (+550). He won both of those bouts, which are included in his five fight winning streak.
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