Michael Bisping believes Anderson Silva is sleeping on the job.
The candid middleweight contender is upset at Silva’s indecisiveness and lack of focus on the 185-pound division.
During an appearance on MMAjunkie.com Radio, Bisping blamed Silva for having too much fun and not taking his position as champion seriously:
I kind of feel like he’s maybe having a little bit of fun with it sometimes, but this isn’t a comedy program. This is the UFC, and this is fighting. It’s serious business. If you want to take a year out, take a year out. If you don’t want to take a year out, fight the No. 1 contender. Anderson is the best, but you’ve got to defend that title.
Earlier in November, Silva told Brazilian website Tatame.com he wouldn’t be fighting again until the end of 2013.
After defeating Chael Sonnen and Stephan Bonnar, he wanted to take time away from the sport to focus on some of his personal endeavors, which includes a new gym and a movie deal.
Silva is arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history, and it is understandable that his ever-growing star power will open up other avenues and require him to spend some time away from the sport.
The frustration for Bisping and other middleweight contenders stems from Silva seemingly lacking interest in the middleweight division.
Top middleweight contender Chris Weidman has been asking for a title shot for months, and Silva told him to “work and wait for his opportunity.” Yet, he had no problems accepting a fight against Bonnar, who has never even cracked the top 10 in his division.
It looks like Silva will only fight once in 2013, and the only opponent he’s adamant about facing is welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.
Despite Silva’s success, the show must go on at middleweight, and it’s hard to do that with a champion who isn’t committed to defending his title.
Bisping continues in his interview with Helwani:
Perhaps, he vacates the belt, and when he’s ready to come back, he gets an immediate title shot and fights the new champion then. He’s put us all in this position. It just sucks for the fans that want to see Anderson fight. It sucks for the fighters that want to fight Anderson for his belt, and it sucks for the UFC, as well.
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