Michael Bisping suffered one of the toughest losses of his UFC career at UFC 217, dropping the middleweight championship to Georges St-Pierre after getting choked out cold. So how is the Brit recovering from that blow? By taking a short-notice fight, of course!
Just seven days removed from his loss, Bisping is now penned in to face The Ultimate Fighter season 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC Fight Night 122. Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting first broke the news, which was then confirmed by the UFC:
Bisping steps into the bout as a replacement for Anderson Silva, who was removed from the card after failing an out-of-competition drug test. The exact nature of the failure is unknown at this time, though the Brazilian was previously suspended for a drug test administered ahead of his UFC 183 bout with Nick Diaz.
While the loss of Silva is a tough blow for both fans and the UFC, Gastelum greatly benefits from the change, moving from a bout with an aging legend to a fighter who just recently held the strap. Coming off a loss to Chris Weidman in July, Gastelum has the opportunity to jump back into the hunt for a title shot with the Bisping fight. That’s easier said than done, of course, as The Count will be looking to rebound off Gastelum to show he remains a force in the cage.
Bisping vs. Gastelum will take place on November 25 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. Expect fireworks.
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