Author: Mike Chiari

Michael Bisping is eyeing Dan Henderson and Georges St-Pierre as potential opponents after winning the UFC Middleweight championship at UFC 199, and he sounded off on the possible challengers Friday. 

In an interview with Fox Sports 1 (h/t Jed Meshew of MMAFighting.com), the 37-year-old Brit called out Henderson and accused him of cheating when they first met in the Octagon in 2009:

Dan Henderson is a guy that actually does interest me. He obviously has a great knockout victory over me back in the day and he’s gonna retire soon so I want to get revenge for that loss before he retires. He was on testosterone replacement therapy in that fight. I didn’t even know that existed. Dan you’re a cheat. Let’s do it anytime you want, you old [expletive].

He knocked out the posing dwarf, Hector Lombard. So if you want to come and try it—hey buddy, lightning doesn’t strike twice so if you’re interested sign on the dotted line you old piece of s–t.

Henderson handed Bisping the second loss of his MMA career at UFC 100 via a second-round knockout. The 45-year-old veteran is 3-3 since TRT was banned by UFC.

St-Pierre hasn’t fought since 2013, but the former UFC welterweight champion is constantly rumored to be working toward a return.

Bisping revealed in the interview that there has been some talk regarding a bout with GSP, and he would be open to it: “I actually had some people reach out to me saying, ‘Georges St-Pierre is interested in fighting you,’ and I was like, ‘really?’. It was something that I didn’t expect. Some people from his camp. … Tell him to sign on the dotted line—just like Henderson—if he wants to come out of retirement.”

St-Pierre’s return would be huge for UFC if and when it happens regardless of the opponent due to his dominance and popularity, particularly in his home country of Canada.

GSP is 25-2, and he was on a 12-fight winning streak prior to vacating the welterweight title and taking time off.

Bisping is on a roll in his own right with wins over Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold in his past two outings.

He is one of the best UFC has to offer in the Octagon, but he is also elite when it comes to promoting his fights and providing entertainment outside of it.

Bisping has become a must-see attraction after his thorough victory against Rockhold, and he figures to put on a show no matter who steps up to challenge him in his first title defense.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate questioned Ronda Rousey’s emotional state and Conor McGregor’s UFC stance in a wide-ranging and opinionated interview Thursday.

Tate appeared on SiriusXM’s Fight Club (h/t Jed Meshew of MMAFighting.com), and she didn’t pull any punches regarding two of the sport’s biggest stars.

Tate and Rousey have a well-documented rivalry that has resulted in Rowdy twice defeating the current champ, but Tate touched on Rousey’s demeanor outside the Octagon Thursday.

With regard to Tate’s revelation that Rousey bullied fellow fighter Paige VanZant, the 29-year-old titleholder discussed Rowdy’s state of mind: “I think Ronda is somewhat emotionally unstable and I think that’s been characteristic for a long time. Doesn’t mean she fights any worse for it. I’m not knocking her as an athlete but emotionally she’s just got some things that are a little bit strange and I think that that was one of them.”

In addition to touching on her issues with Rousey, Tate praised VanZant and discussed her relationship with the 22-year-old rising star:

This is why I feel like I identify with Paige more. She’s so kind and when this whole thing happened she was like, ‘we’re emotional beings and hopefully I can make it right with Ronda,’ and she’s still such a sweetheart but I’m not that way.

When Ronda does things like that to me I’m just like, ‘No, eff you.’ I’m not gonna bow down and not say how I feel.

Tate also sounded off about McGregor, whose refusal to take part in promotional appearances resulted in his removal from the main event of UFC 200.

While Tate understood McGregor’s desire to receive preferential treatment because of his star power, she suggested that the Irishman owes a lot to the promotion:

The UFC has gone above and beyond to accommodate him and you’ve got to think about this too: how did [McGregor] become [McGregor]? If there was no UFC you wouldn’t know who he was. It’s been a mutual effort on both their parts. The UFC has spent a tremendous amount of money promoting [McGregor] and he’s made a lot of money—for himself and for them—but it’s teamwork.

They’re both working hard to create something great and it has been great but don’t change now, Conor. Stay the course. This is what you’ve been doing this is what got you here. Don’t get big headed and now think that you’re above it because I think that’s the downfall.

McGregor won’t be part of UFC 200, but Tate will take part in one of the event’s top fights when she fights Amanda Nunes, defending her title for the first time since winning it from Holly Holm in March.

It is unclear when Rousey intends to return to action after taking time off to focus on her film career, but she figures to be in line for an immediate title shot.

If Tate is still the champion by that point, then a third meeting with Rousey is inevitable, and her comments will only serve to add even more fuel to a feud that was already among the best in MMA.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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UFC star Conor McGregor was accompanied by two bodyguards at the VIP Style Awards in Dublin recently due to alleged death threats made against the 27-year-old native of Ireland.  

According to Ken Sweeney and Barry Moran of the Irish Sun, a source reported McGregor provided that reasoning when asked about the guards by those in attendance, although he has yet to make an official statement on the matter.

Per Sweeney and Moran, the source provided an account of McGregor’s appearance at the event alongside girlfriend Dee Devlin:

Conor and Dee arrived around 30 minutes after most of the other red-carpet arrivals and they were accompanied by an entourage.

He [had] two huge minders with him for the entire evening and although everyone was in great form, they didn’t leave his side once.

One of them even waited directly outside the toilets when he nipped in at one stage!

Conor was really relaxed and in great humor but the bodyguards didn’t let him out of their sight for even a minute.

Anyone who wanted a picture or a quick word with Conor had to go through the minders.

He told people their names were Rocky and Drago and that he’d hired them because of death threats.

McGregor was previously threatened on Twitter in February, as he was sent a photo of someone holding an AK-47.

According to Sweeney and Moran, it isn’t believed there is any link between that threat and the reported ones that prompted the UFC Featherweight champ to beef up his security.

McGregor recently made headlines when he suggested on Twitter that he was set to retire rather than compete at UFC 200 in July. He later stated his intention to have a rematch against Nate Diaz at the event, but UFC President Dana White set a main event of Jon Jones versus Daniel Cormier instead.

He has also been linked with a potential fight against retired boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr., who said the clash was “possible,” per FightHype.com.

McGregor is arguably the biggest draw in combat sports currently, and whenever his next bout is officially announced, it will undoubtedly become must-see TV for fight fans across the globe regardless of his opponent.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Following the long-awaited legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York, UFC announced its first Madison Square Garden event Thursday.

According to New York State governor Andrew Cuomo, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta revealed that a card will be held at the crown jewel of New York City on Nov. 12. 

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