(Photo by Tracy Lee for Yahoo! Sports)
After months of internet trash talk Jorge Rivera finally got his chance to step into the octagon against Michael “The Count” Bisping last night in the co-main event of UFC 127. Intended to hype the fight, the Brit took the insults very personally and it showed in the cage against Rivera.
In the first round Bisping landed an illegal knee to his opponents head, which Rivera says was intentional. “The Count” would win the fight in the second by TKO and instead of congratulating his opponent for a good fight he continued on his tirade. Even before Rivera got back to his feet Bisping was throwing more verbal insults at Rivera and at his corner, going so far as to spit in their direction.
Bisping apologized for his actions during his post fight speech, but not directly to Rivera or his corner.
MMAFighting.com talked to Rivera about Bisping’s actions during, and after the fight.
“That knee was deliberate, and I’ll tell you exactly how I know this. I went to sweep him, and first of all, I want to say that he was at the press conference talking about how he’s the better fighter, he’s got better jiu-jitsu, better wrestling, but he takes me down, fine. I go to sweep him and he holds on to the fence. He holds on to the fence the whole time. …And then, within 30 or 40 seconds of doing that, he knees me [illegally] in the head. I’m on all fours, he winds up and knees me in the head. Then he puts his hands up, walks over to my corner and says, ‘He’s the p-ssy.’ Now if that wasn’t deliberate, I don’t know what the f-ck is….
I was hurt, but this is what I do for a living. I promoted the hell out of this fight, I talked a lot of sh-t about this fight, I talked a lot of sh-t about him, and it’s my job as a professional to go out there and do what I do. …When I was down and everybody’s asking me if I’m able to continue, I’ll tell you exactly what was going through my head: I fight. I have to fight this guy. There’s no way I’m going to sit here and get the W this way….I don’t regret a thing I did. [Bisping] showed his true colors last night. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”