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Michael Bisping in No Danger of Missing UFC 159 Fight Against Alan Belcher

Michael Bisping has been fighting at well less than 100 percent for some time now and he’s been just too stubborn for his own good to get the problem fixed. In a recent interview with ESPN in England, Bisping revealed that he’s suffering from a nerve p…

Michael Bisping has been fighting at well less than 100 percent for some time now and he’s been just too stubborn for his own good to get the problem fixed.

In a recent interview with ESPN in England, Bisping revealed that he’s suffering from a nerve problem in his neck that’s causing his right arm to atrophy. That means he’s losing muscle mass and strength because the nerves aren’t allowing proper signal to get to his body.

Bisping admitted at the time that he was looking to have surgery to correct the issue, and immediately the world wanted to know if that meant he would be missing out on his April 27 bout against Alan Belcher at UFC 159.

Bleacher Report spoke with Bisping‘s managers at Paradigm MMA Management on Wednesday and they verified that the British fighter’s surgery is nothing more than a minor outpatient procedure that will allow him to get back into the gym as early as the following day.

Bisping verified the information as well via text message to Bleacher Report and updated the situation via his Twitter account on Wednesday.

“Just to clarify I am not having surgery, my fight with Belcher is not in peril,” wrote Bisping. “I’m having a minor procedure maybe to fix an old problem.”

Bisping later stated that he’s hoping the procedure just involves some injections in his neck to help relieve the pinched nerve that’s causing all of the problems.

UFC welterweight David Mitchell experienced a similar issue in his neck that kept him feeling well less than 100 percent for the last few years of his career. He eventually had corrective surgery to repair the damage and is now working his way back to full strength.

Bisping‘s issue doesn’t seem to be as severe, and the minor procedure he’s undergoing will only help relieve the blockage being caused by the pinched nerve to allow his right arm to regain full feeling and muscle strength.

Bisping expects to have the procedure soon as he gets into full training mode again for his UFC 159 showdown with Alan Belcher on April 27 in New Jersey.

Damon Martin is featured columnist at Bleacher Report.

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Michael Bisping Can’t Make a Fist, May Require Surgery to Fix Trapped Nerve, Still Has to Fight Alan Belcher in Two Months

(The toughest part of Bisping’s recovery? No sarcastic wanking-gestures for 4-6 weeks. / Photo via Getty Images)

As first reported by ESPN UK, UFC middleweight Michael Bisping saw a specialist on Tuesday to address a “trapped nerve” in his neck that is affecting the right side of his body, and he may undergo surgery to fix it before his UFC 159 meeting with Alan Belcher on April 27th. The nerve problem has caused significant muscle atrophy in Bisping’s right arm, and is even preventing him from making a fist. The Count explains:

“My right arm, and this is the first time I’ve mentioned this, I have a trapped nerve in my neck and [possibly] need surgery on my neck. The way they’ve described it is that if you stand on a hosepipe, a lot of the water doesn’t get through. The nerves along my right arm aren’t getting through.

“All along here (gestures towards his side and pectoral area), you could squeeze my pec, really get your nails into it, and I wouldn’t feel a thing. My right arm is so much weaker than my left, it’s called atrophy, my muscle is wasting away because nerve signals aren’t getting through. I need that taken care of but I’ve been fighting so much that I haven’t had time for the treatment…

“The thing is I’ve got another fight booked already. My hand, I can’t even make a fist because I keep going into fight after fight after fight. Really what I need is six months off — but I don’t want to take six months off. I like what I do, I like to be kept busy.”

(The toughest part of Bisping’s recovery? No sarcastic wanking-gestures for 4-6 weeks. / Photo via Getty Images)

With a tough fight against Belcher on the schedule just two months from now, Bisping’s nerve-problem has him looking to make some long-overdue changes in his approach to health and training:

“I need to be more professional in terms of my own body,” Bisping told ESPN, when asked what changes he needs to make after defeat to Vitor Belfort. “I don’t get injuries seen to — I’m very old school. There’s some issues I need to address…

“Some things need to change. I consistently overtrain,” he said. “Maybe I put on too much weight between fights. Right now I’m still 203lbs, I could make middleweight at the weekend. Normally I’d be 220 by now. They’re just some of the issues. Coaches, I’m my own head coach, my own nutritionist, I need somebody to kick my ass and discipline me.”

Taking six months off after the Belfort fight probably wouldn’t have been the worst idea, despite Bisping’s desire to stay busy; we’ll see if his health becomes a factor in April. In the meantime, who are you picking for Bisping vs. Belcher?

Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante Added to UFC 159 [STRIKEFORCE NEVA DIE!]

Look, Ovince, all I’m saying is that maybe Lane Kiffin is slightly underrated and doesn’t deserve so much hatred. Props: fightinginsider.com

You could make the argument that Strikeforce has been more relevant since its demise in January than it was during its final year of existence. With Gilbert Melendez earning an immediate title shot against Ben Henderson and Strikeforce veterans pulling off massive upsets at UFC 156, it seems like we’re spending more time talking about it now than we were when it was still in business.

It is now being reported by Long Island Newsday that two of Strikeforce’s best light heavyweights, Ovince St. Preux and Gian Villante, will fight each other at UFC 159 in Newark, New Jersey.

A former college football player for the University of Tennessee, Ovince St. Preux went 4-4 before being signed to fight on the undercard of Strikeforce: Nashville in 2010. St. Preux provided more than just a cheap pop for the organization, as he would defeat Chris Hawk in only forty-seven seconds. OSP would win his next six fights before dropping a unanimous decision to Gegard Mousasi at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal in December of 2011. St. Preux’s most recent fight was a knockout over TJ Cook at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman in August.

Look, Ovince, all I’m saying is that maybe Lane Kiffin is slightly underrated and doesn’t deserve so much hatred. Props: fightinginsider.com

It is now being reported by Long Island Newsday that two of Strikeforce’s best light heavyweights, Ovince St. Preux and Gian Villante, will fight each other at UFC 159 in Newark, New Jersey.

Meanwhile, Gian Villante made his Strikeforce debut as part of the promotion’s Heavyweight Grand Prix, losing to Chad Griggs in the first round. Villante then dropped down to light heavyweight, and despite losing a unanimous decision to Lorenz Larkin in his first effort as a Strikeforce light heavyweight, Villante quickly turned things around. He has won three fights in a row since losing to Larkin, but has remained inactive since May due to Strikeforce cancelling events once everyone stopped caring.

With two of Strikeforce’s most promising light heavyweight prospects looking to make a statement in their UFC debuts, this should be an entertaining scrap. Don’t expect this fight to go the distance – both fighters have heavy hands and like to bang, bro.

UFC 159 will take place on April 27 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It will be headlined by the TUF 17 coaches clash between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen. We’ll keep you up to date as this card continues to fill out.

@SethFalvo

UFC 159: Chael Should Retire After the Jon Jones Fight

With two losses to the present champion and standing firmly in his mid-30s, it didn’t seem like Chael Sonnen had many options in July. He was a middleweight, with two failed attempts to reach the peak of the divisional mountain, and no clear path ahead…

All it took for that to change was Dan Henderson’s knee injury and some creative trash talk. All the sudden, he had become the number one contender at light heavyweight.

Of course, that option wouldn’t present itself to just anyone. However, Sonnen has shown the unique ability to sell fights by stealing headlines and being willing to take fights that not everyone is keen on.

He called out Anderson Silva when no one would, and now he told the world he wanted Jon Jones when no one else did..

That gave him a big fight, something he has grown accustomed to looking for over the past few years.

But make no mistake, this is his last big fight. Win or lose, there aren’t many big paydays left for him in the cage. With 40 fights in his career, Sonnen doesn’t have that many paydays left at all.

So why not retire after UFC 159, whether he is successful in taking the title from Jon Jones or not?

If he somehow beats Jones and becomes champion, what more incredible headline to make than to say he is walking away an undefeated champion? That would bring attention to his own post-fighting ventures and serve as one last dig at his nemesis Silva—the only man who is looking at doing that legitimately.

If he loses, he was never supposed to win anyway, so he can retire to a pretty good life too. He will score that last million-buy PPV cut and move on to his role as unofficial face of the UFC on FOX.

Think of all the doors that will open up in the coming years. Sonnen is showing he has a knack for that kind of publicity, so he won’t ever be left in the cold.

In fact, Sonnen only matters because he has learned how to steal headlines in the back-half of his career. The past three years or so have been an absolute clinic in how to scrape every last dollar out of some pretty run-of-mill skills in the cage.

And it’s been fantastic to watch.

So if stealing headlines is the goal, a retirement regardless of the outcomes at UFC 159 isn’t a bad plan. Win or lose, Sonnen ends up in the same place—with a cushy gig as a paid analyst, maybe a coach on the side, knowing that he was one of the best self-promoters the sport has ever seen.

Worse legacies exist.

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Roy Nelson vs Cheick Kongo: Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo will meet at UFC 159 on April 27.The card in New Jersey will feature two of the UFC’s best heavyweights in action.Nelson is riding a two-fight win streak in to the Octagon. Back-to-back knockouts over Dave Herman and Matt Mi…

Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo will meet at UFC 159 on April 27.

The card in New Jersey will feature two of the UFC’s best heavyweights in action.

Nelson is riding a two-fight win streak in to the Octagon. Back-to-back knockouts over Dave Herman and Matt Mitrione have given to life to Nelson in the division.

Kongo is 4-1-1 in his last six bouts, and is coming off a decision win over Shawn Jordan. A victory over Nelson would thrust Kongo back in to the thick of the heavyweight division.

This is how the fight breaks down from head to toe.

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Phil Davis on Vinny Magalhaes: UFC 159 “Not Going to Be as Fun as He Thinks”

UFC light heavyweight Phil Davis appears more than ready to disavow Vinny Magalhaes of any title-contender notions.Following an extended and often quite heated series of challenges on Twitter, the UFC granted Magalhaes’ wish and scheduled the two for a…

UFC light heavyweight Phil Davis appears more than ready to disavow Vinny Magalhaes of any title-contender notions.

Following an extended and often quite heated series of challenges on Twitter, the UFC granted Magalhaes‘ wish and scheduled the two for a fight on April 27 at UFC 159.

And while Davis doesn’t necessarily begrudge Magalhaes‘ ultimately successful approach to matchmaking, he did warn Magalhaes to take care what he wished for.

“I hope the evening of April 27, when he gets back to his hotel room he doesn’t say to himself ‘What did I do this for? Why did I do this to myself?'” Davis told journalist Ariel Helwani Monday during The MMA Hour broadcast. “‘I could’ve fought somebody who wasn’t top-10…I could’ve come home a winner without two black eyes and a bruised ego.’ I hope he doesn’t say that. But it’s looking like he will…It’s not going to be as fun as he thinks it’s going to be.”

Magalhaes had an opportunity to step in for an injured Forrest Griffin and face Davis at UFC 155 on three weeks notice. Magalhaes declined the UFC’s offer, but used Twitter to press for the match at a later date.

“If you have the opportunity to fight me, you can’t back down after we’ve already agreed,” Davis said of Magalhaes‘ declination. “It’s silly. It’s annoying.”

Davis said he believed Magalhaes hadn’t yet accomplished enough in the cage to justify the matchup, but added he wasn’t upset over the UFC’s decision.

“What he’s done in the UFC, which is one win and his old two losses doesn’t really warrant a fight with me,” Davis said. “But fine. Listen, I don’t do matchmaking…I’m just going to go with what [Joe Silva] says.”

There will be plenty on the line besides bragging rights when Davis and Magalhaes lock horns. Davis (10-1-1) last fought in October, when he took a submission victory at UFC 153 in a rematch with Wagner Prado.

Davis and Prado initially fought in August; the bout ended in a no-contest ruling after Davis inadvertently poked Prado in the eye. A win over Magalhaes could show that Davis is all the way back from his January 2012 loss to Rashad Evans, and it could land Davis back in the light heavyweight title conversation.

Magalhaes (10-5-1) is looking to enter that conversation for the first time. The jiu-jitsu ace first made an impact on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, on which he made a run to the final bout but lost the six-figure UFC contract to Ryan Bader. Nevertheless, he received another shot in the Octagon, but lost to Eliot Marshall and was summarily released.

The Brazilian earned his next UFC shot the hard way, winning seven of eight after the release en route to capturing and defending the light heavyweight strap in the prestigious M-1 promotion. Magalhaes returned to the UFC in September, defeating Igor Pokrajac at UFC 152 with a beautiful armbar submission.

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