UFC best betting sites and the best MMA odds and gambling news
Dana White says Luke Rockhold will likely fight Lyoto Machida, not Michael Bisping
Despite their joint attempts at amateur matchmaking, Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping’s efforts appear to have been for naught.
The two rivals were expected to settle their grudge match following Bisping’s recent victory over Cung Le, however according to UFC President Dana White, all signs point to Rockhold being matched up against Lyoto Machida instead, keeping in line with the promotion’s original plan.
“Michael Bisping is ranked number eight in the world. Rockhold is number five,” White told UFC.com. “They’ll meet each other anyway eventually, but Rockhold has got Machida first.”
White added that Rockhold vs. Machida would likely take place in Brazil, although he failed to specify a date or venue.
When asked on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Rockhold (12-2) campaigned to fight Bisping (25-6) rather than Machida (21-5), arguing that he probably “won’t ever have the opportunity again” to shut the Brit up for good, and that following the pair’s altercation in Macau over the weekend, there was no question who he’d prefer to fight next.
“I made a bet,” Rockhold explained. “And I’m not joking around whatsoever. I told him that. He wouldn’t take my bet. The bet was if I finish him in one round, we switch purses. And if I don’t finish him in one round — one round — he gets my purse. Show and win, everything. All he has to do is run around for one round. I confronted the man and he wouldn’t take it. He started to backtrack and make excuses right off the bat. The man said he got the better of me and beat me up in one sparring session. If he’s that confident that he did that, why wouldn’t he take a bet? An extra $100,000 on his paycheck couldn’t hurt, right? All he’s got to do is survive one round.
“Let’s see, Bisping,” Rockhold finished. “Let’s make the fight, and like I said, I’m still confident about one round. If he wants to put his money where his mouth is, let’s do it.”
Despite their joint attempts at amateur matchmaking, Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping’s efforts appear to have been for naught.
The two rivals were expected to settle their grudge match following Bisping’s recent victory over Cung Le, however according to UFC President Dana White, all signs point to Rockhold being matched up against Lyoto Machida instead, keeping in line with the promotion’s original plan.
“Michael Bisping is ranked number eight in the world. Rockhold is number five,” White told UFC.com. “They’ll meet each other anyway eventually, but Rockhold has got Machida first.”
White added that Rockhold vs. Machida would likely take place in Brazil, although he failed to specify a date or venue.
When asked on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Rockhold (12-2) campaigned to fight Bisping (25-6) rather than Machida (21-5), arguing that he probably “won’t ever have the opportunity again” to shut the Brit up for good, and that following the pair’s altercation in Macau over the weekend, there was no question who he’d prefer to fight next.
“I made a bet,” Rockhold explained. “And I’m not joking around whatsoever. I told him that. He wouldn’t take my bet. The bet was if I finish him in one round, we switch purses. And if I don’t finish him in one round — one round — he gets my purse. Show and win, everything. All he has to do is run around for one round. I confronted the man and he wouldn’t take it. He started to backtrack and make excuses right off the bat. The man said he got the better of me and beat me up in one sparring session. If he’s that confident that he did that, why wouldn’t he take a bet? An extra $100,000 on his paycheck couldn’t hurt, right? All he’s got to do is survive one round.
“Let’s see, Bisping,” Rockhold finished. “Let’s make the fight, and like I said, I’m still confident about one round. If he wants to put his money where his mouth is, let’s do it.”
