In less than nine days, middleweight contenders Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping will go to war to decide who will be the next person to challenge Anderson Silva for the title.
At the beginning of the week, both Sonnen and Bisping had different opponents for the event as Sonnen was set to face Mark Munoz and Bisping was matched up with jiu-jitsu master Demain Maia.
However, an injury to Munoz forced the UFC to rearrange the card, pitting the two trash talkers against each other for the first time.
The change is not doing either fighter any favors as they will have to prepare for a brand new opponent in less than two weeks.
One person who has had plenty of time to study the ways of Michael Bisping was Maia himself and he told ESPN.com that Sonnen should not underestimate the Briton as he is a force to be reckoned with:
“They underestimate Bisping, but who defeated him so far?” Maia asked.
“Rashad, from a different division, Wanderlei [Silva] and Dan Henderson…only Henderson knocked him out. The others won by points. And by points is hard because he’s very strategic. He always finds a way for the win…The guys say he’s easy, that he has no punch, but you don’t need a punch, he only needs to win the fight.”
While in the UFC, “The Count” has never won a fight by way of knockout, but what he offers instead is precise and accurate striking that gives him the necessary points to win the fight.
One example of this was Bisping’s latest victory over Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
For close to two-and-a-half rounds Bisping picked Miller apart to the point where the opposing Ultimate Fighter coach had no energy left to defend himself.
Sonnen will most likely look to take the fight to the ground with his wrestling skills, but he should not underestimate Bisping’s other weapon: his takedown and ground defense.
The Briton has shown throughout his career that he can sprawl with some of the best wrestlers in the division and can be very effective on his back.
Sonnen will have to be cautious of Bisping’s submission game as he has lost two fights by way of arm triangle, one against Maia himself and again when he lost to Anderson Silva with just seconds remaining in the final round.
Sonnen has his work cut out for him as Bisping is no easy test and Sonnen will have to be prepared on all levels come January 28th.
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