(“Well Michael, you’ve really talked yourself into a corner this time.”)
The good news: Michael Bisping is being given a fight that will at least semi-legitimize his claims of being the number one contender should he emerge victorious from it.
The bad news (for him at least): It’s against this man. (Author’s note: I’m sorry, I literally could not find ONE Vitor Belfort highlight video with a decent soundtrack. For shame, Youtube users.)
Although the UFC tried to keep this matchup under wraps when it was first rumored, it looks like we will be seeing Bisping square off against the Brazilian “Phenom” Vitor Belfort after all. Not only that, this fight will serve as the main event of UFC on FX 7 on January 19th. Bully day!
Bisping has spent the past year or so calling out every viable contender in the middleweight division, so he should be more than satisfied (or terrified) knowing that he will be taking on a former light heavyweight champion and middleweight title challenger in Belfort for his next fight, as the Brazilian would easily make for the biggest win in the Brit’s career should the scaffolding fall from the roof and knock Belfort out in the first round. Because that is the only way Bisping is winning this one.
But who are we kidding, Belfort isn’t making it to this fight in one piece anyway, if at all.
Call us pessimistic, but the past year of injuries in the UFC — along with last night’s episode of The Walking Dead – basically confirmed that we should never hold onto the cocktease known as hope. If there was a time that Vitor was able to make it to two fights in a row uninjured, than we simply can’t remember it. So collectively stifle your excitement over the prospect of seeing Bisping get Hendo’d (Hendoed?) again, because it probably isn’t happening.
Booked as the co-main event of UFC on FX 7 will be C.B. Dolloway vs. Daniel Sarafian, the TUF Brazil finalist who was forced out of his shot at the glass plaque at UFC 147 due to injury. I’ll say that again, C.B. Dolloway — the man whose last fight was a loser-leaves-town match against Jason freaking Miller– has now reached co-main event worthy status.
Red was right. Give up hope now.
Also in the works for UFC on FX 7 is a heavyweight slugfest between Ben Rothwell and Gabriel Gonzaga and a featherweight bout pitting Nik Lentz against Diego Nunes.
In other fight booking rumors, it appears as if the UFC is eyeing another January event — this time UFC on FOX 6 — as the stage for Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone to throw down for the right to the next lightweight title shot (or so it has been said). Pettis has been out of action for what feels like forever battling everything from a shoulder injury to a particularly brutal case of staph infection, all the while fueling the fire between himself and “The Cowboy,” who has scored two straight since coming up short against current number one contender Nate Diaz at UFC 141.
Will any of these matchups actually happen according to schedule? Maybe so, maybe not. We’re just trying to keep things in perspective for once, so don’t hold your breath.