This weekend in Chicago, Illinois, two of the UFC’s biggest trash talkers will finally go to war. Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen will battle to see who is the next challenger for middleweight champion Anderson Silva‘s crown.
The two contenders were initially set to face off against different opponents, with Sonnen scheduled to face Mark Munoz and Bisping supposed to face jiu-jitsu master Demian Maia.
However, with an elbow injury to Munoz, Bisping stepped in on short notice to take on the former No. 1 contender.
Many thought that as soon as the Brit agreed to the fight, the insults and trash talking would begin.
To the surprise of many, however, the two have been very complimentary of one other as they share a mutual respect.
The two also haven’t had much time to trash talk as they only had a short time to prepare for their new opponent, according to Bisping, in an interview with ESPN.com.
“I know some fans are disappointed that there hasn’t been eight weeks of zingers between us and, to be honest, I think we would have got into it if this fight had been made two months ago,” Bisping said. “But right now, both of us had to focus on getting ready for a new opponent – and in his case a more dangerous opponent in me – on a week’s notice.
“I never talk trash unless someone has disrespected me and, to be honest, Chael has been very complimentary of me,” said the Ultimate Fighter winner and two-time coach.
What the two have talked about in prefight interviews is like any fighter; how they will be victorious in the end and how their opponent will suffer.
In his interview, Bisping would go on to predict that the fight with Sonnen will be a “nasty, nasty war,” after which Sonnen will end up in the hospital,
“I am under no illusions – I am getting kicked, punched, elbowed and taken down by Chael but he’s getting punched, kicked, kneed, elbowed and knocked out in return. It will be a nasty, nasty war, but I’m beating him up and winning this fight. I am sure I will be taken down, but he’s going to have to worry about being submitted each time he does that. He won’t be able to hold me down and I know I can pick him apart standing.
“Chael and I have thrown a few little jokes here and there but that’s because we’ve both got a sense of humour. And he’ll need that sense of humour after he goes to the hospital on Saturday night just like seven of my last eight opponents have.”
If Bisping can deliver on his words, he will receive the first title shot in his six-year career in the UFC.
Regardless of who wins this fight, both fighters will, according to Bisping, “look like car-crash victims on Sunday AM,” and could very well deliver the evening’s Fight of the Night.
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