Tag: michael bisping

UFC 147: Rich Franklin vs. Michael Bisping Is the Fight to Make

Now that we know that Rich Franklin is hoping for one last run at the middleweight title, it seems likely that Dana White and Zuffa will decide to grant him his wish, given how many times he has stepped up for the company. And what better way to give h…

Now that we know that Rich Franklin is hoping for one last run at the middleweight title, it seems likely that Dana White and Zuffa will decide to grant him his wish, given how many times he has stepped up for the company.

And what better way to give him his heart’s desire than by putting him in the cage against a top-five fighter who is looking for another high-profile win to cement his claim as the No. 1 challenger?

When you consider this, it’s clear that Rich Franklin vs. Michael Bisping is the fight to make.

Both men are well-known on the international stage, and both prefer to keep the fight standing, which could make for some serious fireworks if both men show up ready to take the victory by force.

While youth, speed and mobility go to Bisping, experience, power and chin favor Franklin, and that style matchup could result in a very entertaining clash.

It would also provide some answers to the questions surrounding both men.

For Bisping, it would show whether or not he has learned how to protect his chin from heavy punchers who have good footwork and know how to cut off the cage. A win over Franklin would prove he’s fixed some of the fundamental holes in his game that Dan Henderson found so easy to exploit.

For Franklin, it would show that he’s still got the step and timing needed to contend with younger fighters who use their speed to dart in-and-out, scoring and then circling away. A win over Bisping would prove that Franklin can still keep up with the music and deliver the necessary force to punch Bisping’s time card and send him home early.

And those tasks won’t be easy for either man.

When you look at Bisping’s career, many a fighter had proudly proclaimed that they were just going to punch him in the jaw and knock him flat. Fighters like Jorge Rivera, Dan Miller, Chris Leben, Wanderlei Silva and others have learned that’s a lot easier said than done.

Bisping’s developed a good striking game that allows him to circle as he pleases and move in-and-out, scoring with crisp combinations and then drifting away while his opponent’s fists miss him by several inches. It’s a style that’s used by many a great defensive boxer, and Bisping is quickly becoming so good at it that he looks like he was born to it.

When considering Franklin, it’s impressive to see just how effective his footwork has been in the past. He’s been able to use those fundamental tools to place himself in prime position to land brutal knockout punches, even when his back is against the cage.

This would be an exciting fight that would provide answers to many of the questions surrounding both men, and as they would have fought as opposing coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season nine, it seems like it’s long overdue.  

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MMA: 10 of the Dirtiest Strikes in History

Whenever strikes are flying with bad intentions, the chance of a foul is always there. Sometimes like a confused animal that stumbles into the scene by accident, other times like a snarling dog let loose by the offender. For the former, it’s a re…

Whenever strikes are flying with bad intentions, the chance of a foul is always there. Sometimes like a confused animal that stumbles into the scene by accident, other times like a snarling dog let loose by the offender.

For the former, it’s a regrettable moment in their career that is usually never repeated again.  

For the latter, it’s the dark humor of the situation itself they cannot resist. Their opponent is putting their trust in him to obey the rules, and like Lucy yanking the ball away from Charley Brown as he runs to kick, they too choose to indulge their whims, simply because they can.

That’s not to say a fighter found guilty of landing a dirty strike is a dirty fighter. It is simply an acknowledgement of those things within the rules and those things deemed illegal.

The sport has seen its fair share of both unintentional fouls and those done with clear malice, but whatever the motivation, the result is the same: a dirty strike.

Here is a list of 10 of the dirtiest strikes in MMA history, where the strike itself is more often than not the main point of contention.

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Tim Boetsch Discusses Michael Bisping’s Running Shoes & Hector Lombard

I wanted to see Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch just as much as the rest of you, which is to say: hardly at all.There’s nothing wrong with the fight, per se. It just wasn’t all that intriguing. Boetsch hasn’t really made his mark on the middleweight di…

I wanted to see Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch just as much as the rest of you, which is to say: hardly at all.

There’s nothing wrong with the fight, per se. It just wasn’t all that intriguing. Boetsch hasn’t really made his mark on the middleweight division just yet, even with the win over Yushin Okami, and I’ve wanted to see Bisping in more high-profile fights for awhile now.

But Boetsch vs. Hector Lombard? That’s an idea I can support.

Both of these fighters are primed to explode with violence at any moment. There’s always a chance that Boetsch could suddenly hulk up and cave your face in with backwards uppercuts, the way he did to Yushin Okami at UFC 144.

And Lombard? Well, dude loves stalking people and punching them in the face. I can get behind this fight.

Boetsch told Full Contact Fighter that he was far more interested in what Lombard brings into the cage: 

It certainly changes the dynamic of the fight. I won’t have to bring my running shoes to catch Hector that’s for darn sure. He’s going to bring the fight to me. It changes a lot about the fight.

Yes, Lombard is going to bring the fight to you, Tim. But that may not be a good thing. At least not for you.

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UFC 148: Michael Bisping Sees Chael Sonnen Defeating Anderson Silva

They may not see eye to eye on most things, but Michael Bisping does see Chael Sonnen beating Anderson Silva.In an appearance on HDNET’s “Inside MMA,” Bisping weighed in on the upcoming UFC 148 main event and gave his thoughts on where he ranks amongst…

They may not see eye to eye on most things, but Michael Bisping does see Chael Sonnen beating Anderson Silva.

In an appearance on HDNET’s “Inside MMA,” Bisping weighed in on the upcoming UFC 148 main event and gave his thoughts on where he ranks amongst the middleweight elite.

“Chael Sonnen’s fighting Anderson Silva, and I think Chael wins that fight to be honest. I think the first fight is going to give him a lot of confidence. The way he fought handily for four and a half rounds. I think he’s going to go in there with a lot of confidence and do the same thing, but not get submitted in the last round.

After that, Chael’s going to need someone to challenge him, and I mean, who is there? Vitor Belfort’s injured. I mean, who are the challengers? I was fighting Chael for the number one contender. Just because I narrowly lost that fight doesn’t mean I go to the back of the pile. So I’m hoping to fight for the title. Hopefully, I’ll get the knee correct, and then they’re going to need a challenger. I’m here, ready and waiting.”

Bisping was expected to fight Tim Boetsch at UFC 149, but a knee injury sustained during training forced him to have to undergo surgery and withdraw from the bout. He hopes to be ready to return as early as September.

Upon his return, Bisping has one request for the UFC:

“UFC, come on, hook a brother up. Come on, where’s the title shot? Six years, fighting the best, I’m ready to rock. Alright, I can’t walk properly right now, but as soon as I get that minor detail out the way, I’ll fight for the world title.”

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Michael Bisping on Chael Sonnen: ‘I Have Him Quaking in His Boots’

Since joining the UFC, Michael Bisping has never been one to shy away from letting fight fans know how he feels. It’s that attitude that has both gained and lost fans for the outspoken Englishman.The middleweight title picture is becoming increasingly …

Since joining the UFC, Michael Bisping has never been one to shy away from letting fight fans know how he feels. It’s that attitude that has both gained and lost fans for the outspoken Englishman.

The middleweight title picture is becoming increasingly crowded, but Bisping appears to be on the outside looking in. He was scheduled to face Tim Boetsch at UFC 149, but had to pull out of the bout with a knee injury.

Prior to the Boetsch fight, Bisping was last seen losing a tough decision against the No.1 contender, Sonnen. The fight was so close that many fans took to the internet, claiming Bisping should’ve had his hand raised—a thought shared by the fighter himself.

It’s with that train of thought where Bisping believes he has the mental edge over Sonnen should they meet again in the cage. Bisping spoke to UFC Tonight on Tuesday and MMAWeekly has the strange story about Chael P. Sonnen himself.

Bisping claims Sonnen sent him a private message on Twitter around the time Bisping pulled out of his bout with Boetsch and rumors of Anderson Silva being injured were running rampant.

“I was actually sat in the doctor’s [office] when this came through. ‘Alright man, here’s my guess, you’re not hurt and we are rematching. If I am right give me a clue in your tweet. Include the word “lad” in your next tweet,” Bisping said (per MMAWeekly).

Not concerned with enabling the conspiracy theorist side of Sonnen, Bisping must’ve shook his head while checking his Twitter account. After moving past the shock value, Bisping believes it reveals a moment of weakness from Sonnen.

“Obviously, he’s quaking in his boots at the thought of a rematch cause he knows I won the last fight and he doesn’t want to fight me again,” Bisping said (per MMAWeekly).

Only a few minutes later, Sonnen sent another message that was just as strange.

“Then another one came through and went ‘alright never mind, conspiracy theory is over. Get well soon.’” said Bisping. “So Planet Chael strikes again” (per MMAWeekly).

Other than sharing his thoughts on Sonnen’s fear of fighting him again, Bisping also let it be known that he has a few influential figures on his side in the argument about the Sonnen bout.

“I think the general consensus is that I won that fight. I know Dana (White) and Lorenzo (Fertitta) said that as well,” said Bisping (per MMAWeekly).

Whatever side of the fence fans find themselves on, they will have to wait for the Sonnen-Silva story to play out and Bisping to return from injury. But I don’t think the UFC will have any reservations about scheduling a bout between two of the best hype-men in the promotion today.

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Michael Bisping Talks Knee Surgery and Why Fighters Are Getting Injured

Michael Bisping appeared on Tuesday’s episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel to speak with hosts Kenny Florian and Todd Harris. Bisping addressed several key issues, including his injured knee and what he believes is the cause for the recent string of injuries…

Michael Bisping appeared on Tuesday’s episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel to speak with hosts Kenny Florian and Todd Harris. Bisping addressed several key issues, including his injured knee and what he believes is the cause for the recent string of injuries in the UFC. 

Bisping was scheduled to face Hector Lombard at UFC 149 in Calgary, but had to pull out of the fight because of a knee injury. When the news originally broke, there was no word on how long “the Count” would be sidelined. Luckily, Bisping cleared the air.  

“Listen, I’m gonna have surgery tomorrow…I have to have the surgery. I have two loose bodies floating around my knee and I also have a slightly torn meniscus,” said Bisping. “So while that sounds bad, I don’t have to have a reconstruction or major surgery as such, so tomorrow, I go under the knife, but I think within three to four weeks, I’ll be back full training.”  

Many believed that Bisping was pulled from the fight with Lombard as a precaution in case Anderson Silva was unable to keep his scheduled booking against Chael Sonnen at UFC 148. It seems like everyone, including Sonnen, was under the belief that Bisping would be announced as the challenger, as he sent Michael a private message via Twitter. 

The thing about direct messages on Twitter is that it’s personal and private, and I think that it would be improper of me to divulge that information. But…when have you known me to do the proper thing? “Alright man, here’s my guess. You’re not hurt and we are rematching. If I am right give me a clue in your next tweet. Include the word ‘lack’ in your next tweet.” And I’m sitting in the doctor’s chair and I’m like “What the hell is this guy talking about?”   

Bisping also told Harris and Florian what he believes is the reason for the recent string of injuries in the UFC. For Bisping, it all starts and ends in how the fighters train in the gym. It is Michael’s belief that training must simulate a fight, and therefore, you must train at full speed. If you don’t, you won’t ever get the proper looks when actually in the fight.

There’s a fine line. It’s a very difficult sport. It’s a very physical sport, obviously. For me, my mindset is that you have to train the way you fight. If you hold back in the training room and you only train 75 percent, when it comes to the fight and you fight at 100 percent, you’re not going to be used to that. It’s going to be a shock to the system and you’re going to tire out and you’re gonna gas. So you have to train the way you fight. That said, you also have to train smart. You have to be lucky enough to have a team of people around you that you can trust. You’ve got to have training partners you can trust. 

So there you have it. Michael Bisping won’t be fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 148, and he believes the fighter injuries are because of hard training. Hopefully, missing the Lombard fight won’t drop him in the middleweight picture, as he’s one of the best in the sport. 

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