Longtime UFC contender and former TUF Champion Michael Bisping spoke with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of “The MMA Hour” at MMAFighting.com about his victory over MMA legend and former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at the O2 Arena in London, England last month.
Bisping admits that he made a “rookie mistake” when he looked away and caught a shot that knocked him down between rounds after his mouth piece came out during an exchange.
“I looked away,” Bisping said. “I made a rookie mistake and Anderson pounced.”
“The Count,” who mentioned he has watched the fight twice since it happened, went on to explain his side of the story.
“I’m not sure if it was a punch or whatever it was, my mouthpiece went flying,” Bisping said. “Of course, this was a well-discussed matter. Was I at fault or was the referee at fault. I know there has to be a break in the action, but it’s how do you define a break in the action. For my part, I was backing off, Anderson was coming after me. There were no blows being exchanged.”
Bisping continued, “I’m not angry at anybody, I’m not angry at Anderson or the referees. It was one of those things, I should have known better. I should have known better. I take that one in the chin, or in the eye or in the face or whatever it was.”
Bisping also addressed Silva’s premature celebration.
“Listen, the fight went on,” Bisping said. “I was down, I was not out. Herb Dean made a very good call, it took courage for him to make that call Anderson was trying to steal the victory, kind of like at the end of the fight you put his hands up in the air to try to claim victory and influence the judges. Anderson was doing that, he knew what he was doing, he’s a seasoned pro. He knew I wasn’t out, anyway. I went to the floor. I was talking to Herb Dean, I’m like hey I’m good.”
Bisping concluded, “I guess you could sit there an analyze that a little bit, but I prefer to rest on the fact that I won the fight. There are many what ifs with anything in life. Fact of the matter is, I won the fight, I faced a legend on a fair playing field and I’m one of only two men to do it. That’s what I’m thinking about. Of course there was that touchy moment, I had to fight through a lot of adversity I had blood going out of my face everywhere. In many ways, l’m kind of glad that happened, it made the performance that much more gutsy. I’m proud of it.”