Alan Belcher was on a four-fight winning streak when he entered the Octagon on December 29, 2012. Belcher’s winning streak came to an end that night, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Yushin Okami. On April 27, Belcher will look t…
Alan Belcher was on a four-fight winning streak when he entered the Octagon on December 29, 2012. Belcher‘s winning streak came to an end that night, when he dropped a unanimous decision to YushinOkami. On April 27, Belcher will look to get back in the win column when he meets Michael Bisping in the co-main event of UFC 159.
The fight is important for both fighters. Bisping, like Belcher, is coming off a loss in his last bout, losing by TKO to VitorBelfort at UFC on FX 7. If these two veteran fighters hope to keep their names in the title-shot conversation, a loss on Saturday will not help their chances
That fact is not lost on Belcher, who offered the following during Monday’s UFC 159 media call: “A win puts me back in the top of the division. We’re both coming off losses. We’re going to see who the best is out of us two. I’m not thinking about what the fans think or about how confident Michael is, I’m just thinking about beating him on Saturday night.”
The leadup to this fight has been full of trash talk from both fighters—something that Belcher feels will help him when he steps into the Octagon in Newark, NJ. “It is emotional for me, and that’s when I perform at my highest. This is the most pressure on me. This is the most nervous I’ve been. The only fights that I’ve ever lost are the fights that I wasn’t very excited for. This one I want worse than any fight in my whole career and I’m focused, and I’ll perform at my highest.”
Why Belcher is emotional about the fight became clear during the call when Bisping interrupted Belcher to inform him, “No one gives a f**k about Alan Belcher,” which set off a brief argument between the two fighters.
Fight night is still a few days away, and with the way these two have been going back and forth, don’t be too surprised if the level of animosity increases in the days leading up to the fight.
UFC 159 co-main event fighter Michael Bisping is never one to shy away from speaking his mind on any number of subjects. In many ways for as brash as Bisping seems before a fight, he is more than capable of humility when the situation demands it. Take …
UFC 159 co-main event fighter Michael Bisping is never one to shy away from speaking his mind on any number of subjects.
In many ways for as brash as Bisping seems before a fight, he is more than capable of humility when the situation demands it.Take for instance when he suffered a knockout in his last fight against VitorBelfort at UFC on FX 7 back in January.
It was a tough loss to swallow because with a win Bisping would have almost assuredly been locked into a title fight against middleweight champion Anderson Silva later this year.Despite the defeat and upset, Bisping called Belfort “a better man” and offered “no excuses” for the loss.
A few weeks after the fight, however, it was revealed that Belfort was the latest recipient of TRT treatment. Belfort‘s use of testosterone came under fire because he had tested positive for steroids following a fight in 2006.While Belfort‘s reasons for needing TRT are unknown, past performance enhancing drug abuse can lead to low testosterone in men.
Bisping did his best to take the high road after the revelation about Belfort‘s TRT usage was made public, but he probably has more of a reason than any fighter to get a little upset about the subject.Three of Bisping‘s career losses have come to fighters prescribed TRT, and he’s obviously no fan of the controversial treatment.
“I’d like to face him when he’s not juicing,” Bisping told Bleacher Report’s Great Debate Radio about a rematch with Belfort down the road.“You can dress it up all you want.You can call it TRT, etc…listen, it’s taking steroids. It’s performance enhancing drugs and it does enhance your performance.Yeah, I’d love to fight him again on a level playing field.
“I’d like to fight Dan Henderson on a level playing field, and I’d like to fight ChaelSonnen on a level playing field.They were all on performance enhancing drugs and it sucks.That’s all in the past, all I’m focused on is Alan Belcher.That’s all my attention, and that’s all I’m thinking about.”
Belfort‘s use of TRT is one thing both Bisping and his next opponent Alan Belcheragree upon.Outside of that, however, it’s likely the two middleweights won’t be as cordial about anything else leading into their fight at UFC 159.
Belcher has never necessarily been a quiet fighter when it comes to promoting his bouts, but he’s also never quite reached Bisping‘s level of prolific trash talk.Still heading into this fight, Belcher‘s voice has been heard much more than ever before through social media, video blogs and interviews.
Bisping believes this is just Belcher getting his 15 minutes of fame because, like an American Idol castoff, he’s cashing in while he can because once it’s over no one will remember his name.
“Alan Belcher, he’s trying to take a page out of my book or he’s trying to be ChaelSonnen. He’s being someone very, very different for this fight.I’m not quite sure I understand it,” Bisping said.“He’s trying to be all vocal, making video blogs and doing this and that, and he’s trying to convince himself he’s going to win the fight.
“The reality of the situation is that his last fight he lost against YushinOkami.Prior to that he was on a four-fight win streak.Now he’s coming off a loss and he’s co-main event.When he fought YushinOkami he was a mid-card fighter, but now he’s fighting me and he’s co-main event. So, he’s trying to make the most out of the limelight.
“I commend him for that, because after this fight no one’s going to give a s—t about him. No one’s going to watch him.No one’s going to watch his stupid jiu-jitsu videos or go to his cocky little gym in the middle of nowhere.Good for him he’s making the most out of a good situation.”
Bisping may not be the champion and he’s never held a UFC title, but he is routinely the name on the tip of the tongues of almost every middleweight in the sport when asked who they want to fight next.Part of it is Bisping‘s willingness to play the part of the cocky, British braggart, but it also means anybody that faces him is likely to land in the main or co-main event of a card.
Bisping is undeniably one of the UFC’s most marketable stars and every fighter on the roster knows that and wants to take a piece of it.Belcher is the latest competitor to get the chance and Bisping knows this is the biggest opportunity of his career.
“I’m aware who he is.Have I paid attention to his career? Not really,” Bisping stated.“I’ve been focusing on main events and co-main events, legends and former champions.I wasn’t calling Joe Silva and saying ‘Hi Joe, can I have a mid-tier fight against an average fighter that not many people have heard of?’That wasn’t where my attention and where my goals were.I don’t see an ultra impressive fighter if I’m honest though.”
The opportunity to compete at this level is where Bisping believes Belcher will fold when they face off on Saturday night in New Jersey.It’s easier said than done to help carry a pay-per-view and to perform on the biggest stage in the sport.
Bisping knows Belcher‘s not ready for that moment and expects him to wilt and fade like he’s done many times before.
“I think if you pressure him or put him on his back and he doesn’t know what to do, he folds under pressure,” Bisping said.“Kendall Grove did the same thing to him.Kendall Grove beat the s—t out of him from start to finish, put the pressure on him and finished him with a D’Arce choke.Jason Day did the same thing.Okami did the same thing.
“After his last loss to Okami now he’s saying that he wasn’t in shape, he wasn’t prepared accordingly.Which is absolute bulls—t.That’s absolute nonsense.He’s making excuses for losses.He’s going to have to make a pretty good excuse after I beat him next week.”
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
UFC middleweight Alan Belcher has made it clear there is no love lost between him and his UFC 159 opponent Michael Bisping. However, he took aim at a new target in his latest blog for Yahoo! Sports.The Roufusport fighter took some shots at 185-pound co…
UFC middleweight Alan Belcher has made it clear there is no love lost between him and his UFC 159 opponent Michael Bisping. However, he took aim at a new target in his latest blog for Yahoo! Sports.
The Roufusport fighter took some shots at 185-pound contender Vitor Belfort, implying that all of his major accolades inside the cage have been due to some chemically-enhanced help.
“In my mind, this is a fight to get a No. 1 contender fight. Bisping didn’t lose to Vitor Belfort in January. When someone cheats with substances, like Belfort has done, it doesn’t count as a win. Belfort hasn’t proved he can win a big fight without taking steroids or TRT, so I think when I KO Bisping I should get all the recognition for being the first guy to do so since Dan Henderson did at UFC 100.”
In press conference promoting UFC on FX 8 where Belfort headlines the card against former Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold, “The Phenom” indicated “the UFC always knew” he used testosterone replacement therapy (via Bloody Elbow).
This response was a bit of a head-scratcher, given Belfort’s bizarre reply to the same question during an interview with ESPN a few months earlier, prior to his UFC on FX 7 fight with Bisping.
Heading into UFC 159, Belcher has won four of his past five fights, having his winning streak snapped by perennial contender Yushin Okami at UFC 155 in December.
Meanwhile, “The Count” has lost two of his past three match ups, bout losses occurring in title eliminator bouts against Chael Sonnen and Belfort.
Bisping’s last win was a unanimous decision over Brian Stann at UFC 152 in September.
Do Belcher’s comments about Belfort hold any weight, or is he just bitter about the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s success inside the Octagon?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.
The UFC’s next pay-per-view card is still a few weeks away, but you can expect to have the names involved and date of that fight card burned into your brain over the next short while as the UFC looks to generate interest in UFC 159. The mai…
The UFC’s next pay-per-view card is still a few weeks away, but you can expect to have the names involved and date of that fight card burned into your brain over the next short while as the UFC looks to generate interest in UFC 159.
The main event on the card will see UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defend his title against Chael Sonnen. Some, including Sonnen, will tell you that this fight should have taken place back in September when Sonnen offered to step in on short notice and replace an injured Dan Henderson in UFC 151’s main event. We all know that didn’t happen, though. Jones said no thanks and the entire fight card was subsequently scrapped.
The UFC then pitted the two as opposing coaches in season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, perhaps hoping for fireworks between the coaches. They didn’t get them. Instead, a sort of mutual admiration developed between the two coaches, ruining any chance to promote UFC 159’s main event as some sort of grudge match.
The fighters competing in the co-main event, Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher, have filled that storyline very nicely by developing a decent amount of animosity as they head into a very important bout in New Jersey.
Bisping and Belcher, long-time UFC veterans, are looking at a make-or-break fight here. Both fighters seemed tantalizingly close to getting title shots before being derailed in their last bouts—Bisping losing to Vitor Belfort and Belcher dropping a fight to Yushin Okami. If either fighter has any hope of earning a shot at the UFC middleweight crown, they need a win.
UFC 159 will take place on April 27 from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The extended trailer to UFC 159 is an interesting case study. On one hand, it reminds us that at the very least, watching Jon Jones defend his belt against Chael Sonnen will be an entertaining experience. And that’s important, considering the match was seemingly made only with entertainment value in mind. As a light-heavyweight title contender, Sonnen is about as undeserving as it gets, but according to UFC president Dana White (as quoted in the video by Jones), the fans really want this fight. Now, we all know that’s bullshit; I don’t think anybody reacted to the Jones/Sonnen booking with anything other than utter bafflement. Still, it’s a fun fight, right? Right?
Here’s the problem: The UFC 159 video preview does nothing to suggest that the fight will actually be competitive. In fact, it gives more credence to the theory that Jones vs. Sonnen will be a total blowout. Did you know that Jon Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career? (Meaning, Sonnen will have a very tough time executing his only real pathway to victory, even if he is the self-proclaimed “best MMA wrestler in the world.”) Another fun fact: Jon Jones owns the most submission victories in the history of the UFC light-heavyweight division, while Sonnen has already been submitted four times in the Octagon. I mean, besides his takedowns and his trash-talk, tapping out is one of the main things that Chael is known for. As Bones puts it:
The extended trailer to UFC 159 is an interesting case study. On one hand, it reminds us that at the very least, watching Jon Jones defend his belt against Chael Sonnen will be an entertaining experience. And that’s important, considering the match was seemingly made only with entertainment value in mind. As a light-heavyweight title contender, Sonnen is about as undeserving as it gets, but according to UFC president Dana White (as quoted in the video by Jones), the fans really want this fight. Now, we all know that’s bullshit; I don’t think anybody reacted to the Jones/Sonnen booking with anything other than utter bafflement. Still, it’s a fun fight, right? Right?
Here’s the problem: The UFC 159 video preview does nothing to suggest that the fight will actually be competitive. In fact, it gives more credence to the theory that Jones vs. Sonnen will be a total blowout. Did you know that Jon Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career? (Meaning, Sonnen will have a very tough time executing his only real pathway to victory, even if he is the self-proclaimed “best MMA wrestler in the world.”) Another fun fact: Jon Jones owns the most submission victories in the history of the UFC light-heavyweight division, while Sonnen has already been submitted four times in the Octagon. I mean, besides his takedowns and his trash-talk, tapping out is one of the main things that Chael is known for. As Bones puts it:
“No matter how much [Sonnen] tries to convince himself that he’s going to win this fight, or that he’s the champion without the belt, he just doesn’t believe. And that’s why he comes up short in every opportunity he gets to be a champion. Because he doesn’t have a championship soul, heart, work ethic, nothin’.”
Later in the show, we see Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher having a dispute over what’s really at stake in their middleweight co-main event. (Tattoos? Cars? Nothing at all?) The preview ends with a commercial for the pay-per-view featuring a butt-rock version of “We Will Rock You,” which is honestly the worst cover of a classic rock song since Everclear’s dickless pop-punk take on “The Boys Are Back in Town.” Sorry guys, I know it was for a movie and all, but that shit was terrible.
A quick glance at the calendar will show you that we are a little more than three weeks away from the next UFC pay-per-view event. UFC 159 will take place on April 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Many expected the main event on that card, U…
A quick glance at the calendar will show you that we are a little more than three weeks away from the next UFC pay-per-view event. UFC 159 will take place on April 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Many expected the main event on that card, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen, to develop into some type of ugly grudge match full of pre-fight taunts and trash talk. It hasn’t. Fortunately for fans of that type of thing, the co-main event fighters have stepped up on that front.
Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher have gone back and forth with the taunts and videos for a while now. The exchanges have been entertaining, but the time for talk is coming to an end as fight night nears.
As the fight approaches Bisping has begun to film some training camp video blogs. This one, his second vlog, gives us a look at a strength and conditioning day as he and his S&C coach work legs in preparation for UFC 159.
In addition to the workout, Bisping gives the viewer some insight into why this camp is different and how he feels his training for Belcher is much improved over his training for his previous fight, a loss to Vitor Belfort. It’s also a bit of a surprise to hear Bisping refer to Belcher as a “pretty decent guy,” but if you think “The Count” is going soft, don’t, as Bisping follows that up by calling his upcoming opponent a “douchebag.”
