Tag: michael bisping

MMA: Michael Bisping Sounds Off on Hector Lombard and Title Shots

UFC title shots don’t grow on trees. No one knows that better than middleweight contender Michael “The Count” Bisping.   Bisping has been chasing a title shot since winning The Ultimate Fighter 3 back in 2006. Since dropping to t…

UFC title shots don’t grow on trees. No one knows that better than middleweight contender Michael “The Count” Bisping.  

Bisping has been chasing a title shot since winning The Ultimate Fighter 3 back in 2006. Since dropping to the 185-pound division, “The Count” has compiled an impressive 8-3 record.

However, with losses to Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen sandwiched between his victories, a shot at UFC gold has eluded the British fighter.  

Still though, Bisping feels as though he’s paid his dues through his time slugging it out against the best in the world for the past six years.  

That’s why it upset him when Dana White recently indicated that if the newly acquired Hector Lombard can get past Brian Stann in his Octagon debut, he may earn a title shot.  

According to Bisping, Lombard is unworthy because he spent his career beating up nobodies.

It does piss me off a little bit, you know? I’ve been slugging away in the UFC for six years now, fighting the best guys in the world and just because Hector Lombard’s been knocking out little part-time fighters who probably hold down jobs full-time and he’s been knocking out people that I haven’t got a clue who they are, I haven’t even heard of them, you know, while I’ve been knocking out the best fighters in the world and fighting the best consistently for six years and he’s going to come in from knocking out John the baker from around the corner and you know, he gets a title shot?

Theatrics and exaggerations aside, it’s difficult to argue with Bisping here.

Lombard may very well be as good as his hype. We simply don’t know. His stunning record of 31-2-1-1 is padded with a “Who’s That?” catalog of opponents.

The only times the Olympic Judoka has ever competed in a major promotion, he lost to Akihiro Gono and Gegard Mousasi in Pride—the same year that Bisping won The Ultimate Fighter 3.

Since then, Lombard has been on a statistically brilliant 24-fight win streak, but he hasn’t fought anyone in even the top 20.  

So is it fair that Lombard can spend his career fighting low- to mid-level opponents and then walk into the UFC and get a title shot after only a single win? Probably not.

Does it matter? Heck, no.  

Hector Lombard is an unknown commodity to casual UFC fans. That allows them to sell him as a legitimate title challenger and if he can beat Brian Stann, then that’s all the validation they need.  

The Cuban-born Lombard is a beast. He’ll be an easy sell with his record and his highlight reel of devastating knockouts—at least to the fans who don’t know or care that he has never defeated a top-shelf fighter.

Fighters like Michael Bisping, who have been with the UFC for years, may view situations like this as unfair, but the UFC needs a constant stream of sellable contenders to keep the divisions fresh and interesting.

Bisping had his chance to earn a title shot back in January. He lost to Chael Sonnen. So it’s not as if he hasn’t had his own opportunities.

With a couple good wins, Bisping will get to the title again. In the meanwhile though, there’s nothing wrong with keeping things moving along with new challengers.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Alan Belcher Says Michael Bisping Is a Professional Point Fighter

Alan Belcher’s first-round win over Rousimar Palhares at last Saturday’s UFC on FOX 3 card was the biggest of his career.From a purely athletic perspective, it was an important fight for Belcher. Palhares was, or is, one of the most terrifying guys in …

Alan Belcher’s first-round win over Rousimar Palhares at last Saturday’s UFC on FOX 3 card was the biggest of his career.

From a purely athletic perspective, it was an important fight for Belcher. Palhares was, or is, one of the most terrifying guys in the division, especially when it comes to submissions. Belcher didn’t just beat Palhares; he took everything Palhares could give him on the ground and still escaped to finish the fight.

The fight also proved that Belcher is deserving of consideration against the top guys in the division. If not for a highly-disputed loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama back at UFC 100 — a fight just about everyone else in the universe besides the three judges sitting cageside figured Belcher won — the Biloxi native would have a 7-fight win streak against increasingly tough competition.

So what’s next for Belcher?

The top of the middleweight division is becoming increasingly crowded. Champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen fight in July, and new signee Hector Lombard faces Brian Stann in August, with the winner likely earning a title shot.

Though Belcher called out Silva after defeating Palhares, it looks like he’ll have to wait awhile before getting his shot. Never fear, though — Belcher has the perfect next opponent in mind: 

I think a fight with Michael Bisping makes a lot of sense. I mean, Boetsch looks like a beast at 185, and I’ve got to admit, he looks pretty scary. The other guys in the division, in my mind, I’ve already beat them so many times, and I know everything about them, and I know they don’t have anything really threatening. Boetsch has got some pretty powerful tools, and is a pretty scary dude.

Bisping, of course, is getting to be a professional point fighter, and he’s kind of hard to beat like that. That fight would be a nice payday, and a big fight for the media, so I’m kind of leaning towards that one. It would make sense, and the fans would love it. I can almost feel the energy I would get from the fans if I put him to sleep.

I’ve got to admit, this is an intriguing idea. If Bisping isn’t in the title picture — and it’s a shame if that’s actually the case — then pairing him up with Belcher in a contender’s bout later this year would be just about the perfect fit.

Does Belcher have a point when he says that Bisping is becoming a professional point fighter? Sure. Bisping finished Jorge Rivera last year, and he finished an exhausted Mayhem Miller in December, but for the most part, Bisping has been content to ride out decisions. He’s been highly effective in that role, to be sure. But that style hasn’t helped him earn any title shots in a promotion that values entertainment almost as much as they do winning. Just ask Jon Fitch how that philosophy worked for him.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Today in the MMA Twitter World: Sonnen, Bisping, Nelson and Edwards’ Joke Fails

When used correctly, Twitter is a fantastic tool. It’s an easy way to get a message out to the masses with no fluff. When you’re working with no more than 140 characters, there’s no room for filler.However, like any tool, it can be used incorrectly. Wh…

When used correctly, Twitter is a fantastic tool. It’s an easy way to get a message out to the masses with no fluff. When you’re working with no more than 140 characters, there’s no room for filler.

However, like any tool, it can be used incorrectly. What we have today are nine examples of Twitter being used as a productive tool and one example of a user perhaps needing a bit of a safety manual before they should be allowed to handle such a device.

In today’s edition we have appearances by: Pat Barry, Chael Sonnen, Ronda Rousey, Roy Nelson, Michael Bisping, Yves Edwards and more.

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Jake Shields Officially Returns to Middleweight, Faces Ed Herman at UFC 150


(That’ll teach Antonio Banuelos to try and fingerbang Ronda Rousey.) 

After compiling a 2-2 octagon record at welterweight (well, 1-3 depending on how you personally scored the Martin Kampmann fight), it looks like former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will be returning to 185 this summer, and will be taking on the resurgent Ed Herman at UFC 150, which goes down on August 11th from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. UFC President Dana White was the first to break the news, via his Twitter:

UFC 150 Sat Aug 11 Denver, CO Middleweight Bout Ed Herman VS Jake Shields. I like that fight!

Shields is coming off a unanimous decision victory over the struggling Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February. Although he was able to walk away with the victory and snap a two-fight losing streak in the process, he did find himself on the wrong end of more than one fantastic Judo throw. So you tell us who the real winner was…

…still Shields? Fine, let’s move on.

TUF 3 runner-up Ed Herman, on the other hand, has looked pretty spectacular as of late, and will be looking to build upon a current three-fight win streak that includes wins over scrappy TUF 7 veteran Tim Credeur and TUF 11 alum Kyle Noke. Is it just us, or does it seem like nearly everyone in the UFC can be tied back to The Ultimate Fighter at some point in their career? It’s like the Kevin Bacon of MMA these days. Anyway, Shields should be a considerable favorite coming into this one, but given Herman’s growing trajectory, as well as Shields’ rather mediocre performances in the octagon thus far, “Short Fuse” could be a solid pick for you gamblers, who should already be rolling in the green if you followed our advice.

And in other fight booking, or rather, fight shuffling news…


(That’ll teach Antonio Banuelos to try and fingerbang Ronda Rousey.) 

After compiling a 2-2 octagon record at welterweight (well, 1-3 depending on how you personally scored the Martin Kampmann fight), it looks like former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will be returning to 185 this summer, and will be taking on the resurgent Ed Herman at UFC 150, which goes down on August 11th from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. UFC President Dana White was the first to break the news, via his Twitter:

UFC 150 Sat Aug 11 Denver, CO Middleweight Bout Ed Herman VS Jake Shields. I like that fight!

Shields is coming off a unanimous decision victory over the struggling Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February. Although he was able to walk away with the victory and snap a two-fight losing streak in the process, he did find himself on the wrong end of more than one fantastic Judo throw. So you tell us who the real winner was…

…still Shields? Fine, let’s move on.

TUF 3 runner-up Ed Herman, on the other hand, has looked pretty spectacular as of late, and will be looking to build upon a current three-fight win streak that includes wins over scrappy TUF 7 veteran Tim Credeur and TUF 11 alum Kyle Noke. Is it just us, or does it seem like nearly everyone in the UFC can be tied back to The Ultimate Fighter at some point in their career? It’s like the Kevin Bacon of MMA these days. Anyway, Shields should be a considerable favorite coming into this one, but given Herman’s growing trajectory, as well as Shields’ rather mediocre performances in the octagon thus far, “Short Fuse” could be a solid pick for you gamblers, who should already be rolling in the green if you followed our advice.

And in other fight booking, or rather, fight shuffling news…

Those of you hoping to see Michael Bisping and Tim Boetsch throw down at UFC 148 are in for some shitty news, because MMAWeekly reported last night that the middleweight showdown between “The Count” and “The Barbarian” has been moved from UFC 148 to the UFC 149: Clusterfuck event which goes down in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on July 21st. The reasoning for this shuffle has yet to be revealed, but we’ll let you know if any specific details arise.

And in incredibly vague fight booking news, it’s looking like the rumors that Jon Jones could be defending his belt yet again at UFC 149 against Dan Henderson are all but a complete fabrication at this point, as Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa, told MMAFighting that Jones would not be participating on the Calgary card, stating, “It’s just probably a little too soon. There’s been no timetable yet but July probably isn’t going to happen.” It is now rumored that an August or September return is likely for “Bones,” who has been an absolute workhorse this past year, knocking off four consecutive former champions (three of them by way of stoppage) in just over 11 months.

So who do you like for Shields’ return to middleweight, Potato Nation?

-J. Jones

Jake Shields Officially Returns to Middleweight, Faces Ed Herman at UFC 150


(That’ll teach Antonio Banuelos to try and fingerbang Ronda Rousey.) 

After compiling a 2-2 octagon record at welterweight (well, 1-3 depending on how you personally scored the Martin Kampmann fight), it looks like former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will be returning to 185 this summer, and will be taking on the resurgent Ed Herman at UFC 150, which goes down on August 11th from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. UFC President Dana White was the first to break the news, via his Twitter:

UFC 150 Sat Aug 11 Denver, CO Middleweight Bout Ed Herman VS Jake Shields. I like that fight!

Shields is coming off a unanimous decision victory over the struggling Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February. Although he was able to walk away with the victory and snap a two-fight losing streak in the process, he did find himself on the wrong end of more than one fantastic Judo throw. So you tell us who the real winner was…

…still Shields? Fine, let’s move on.

TUF 3 runner-up Ed Herman, on the other hand, has looked pretty spectacular as of late, and will be looking to build upon a current three-fight win streak that includes wins over scrappy TUF 7 veteran Tim Credeur and TUF 11 alum Kyle Noke. Is it just us, or does it seem like nearly everyone in the UFC can be tied back to The Ultimate Fighter at some point in their career? It’s like the Kevin Bacon of MMA these days. Anyway, Shields should be a considerable favorite coming into this one, but given Herman’s growing trajectory, as well as Shields’ rather mediocre performances in the octagon thus far, “Short Fuse” could be a solid pick for you gamblers, who should already be rolling in the green if you followed our advice.

And in other fight booking, or rather, fight shuffling news…


(That’ll teach Antonio Banuelos to try and fingerbang Ronda Rousey.) 

After compiling a 2-2 octagon record at welterweight (well, 1-3 depending on how you personally scored the Martin Kampmann fight), it looks like former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will be returning to 185 this summer, and will be taking on the resurgent Ed Herman at UFC 150, which goes down on August 11th from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. UFC President Dana White was the first to break the news, via his Twitter:

UFC 150 Sat Aug 11 Denver, CO Middleweight Bout Ed Herman VS Jake Shields. I like that fight!

Shields is coming off a unanimous decision victory over the struggling Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in February. Although he was able to walk away with the victory and snap a two-fight losing streak in the process, he did find himself on the wrong end of more than one fantastic Judo throw. So you tell us who the real winner was…

…still Shields? Fine, let’s move on.

TUF 3 runner-up Ed Herman, on the other hand, has looked pretty spectacular as of late, and will be looking to build upon a current three-fight win streak that includes wins over scrappy TUF 7 veteran Tim Credeur and TUF 11 alum Kyle Noke. Is it just us, or does it seem like nearly everyone in the UFC can be tied back to The Ultimate Fighter at some point in their career? It’s like the Kevin Bacon of MMA these days. Anyway, Shields should be a considerable favorite coming into this one, but given Herman’s growing trajectory, as well as Shields’ rather mediocre performances in the octagon thus far, “Short Fuse” could be a solid pick for you gamblers, who should already be rolling in the green if you followed our advice.

And in other fight booking, or rather, fight shuffling news…

Those of you hoping to see Michael Bisping and Tim Boetsch throw down at UFC 148 are in for some shitty news, because MMAWeekly reported last night that the middleweight showdown between “The Count” and “The Barbarian” has been moved from UFC 148 to the UFC 149: Clusterfuck event which goes down in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on July 21st. The reasoning for this shuffle has yet to be revealed, but we’ll let you know if any specific details arise.

And in incredibly vague fight booking news, it’s looking like the rumors that Jon Jones could be defending his belt yet again at UFC 149 against Dan Henderson are all but a complete fabrication at this point, as Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa, told MMAFighting that Jones would not be participating on the Calgary card, stating, “It’s just probably a little too soon. There’s been no timetable yet but July probably isn’t going to happen.” It is now rumored that an August or September return is likely for “Bones,” who has been an absolute workhorse this past year, knocking off four consecutive former champions (three of them by way of stoppage) in just over 11 months.

So who do you like for Shields’ return to middleweight, Potato Nation?

-J. Jones

No Judges: The Top 10 Consistent Finishers Currently in the UFC Via Sherdog

When it comes to combat sports, fans want to see all-out wars. Whether it’s in the boxing ring or inside a cage, fans never want to see a fight go to the judges’ scorecards. Now there are those rare examples where fans are entertained by a decision, l…

When it comes to combat sports, fans want to see all-out wars. Whether it’s in the boxing ring or inside a cage, fans never want to see a fight go to the judges’ scorecards. Now there are those rare examples where fans are entertained by a decision, like Edgar/Maynard 2 and Henderson/Rua, but that was because those were packed full of excitement from beginning to end.

What fans really want is a finish, whether it is a knockout, TKO, submission, or even the occasional referee or doctor stoppage. They want that rush of excitement that comes with seeing a tapout or a strike that levels a person. They don’t want a controversial decision or a fight decided by lay and pray.

This list is designed to honor those who work towards giving the fans what they want. These finishers don’t want their fate decided by three people at cageside. Their careers are in their hands and they show it almost every fight.

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