Yoel Romero will not be facing Michael Bisping next, but the bad blood between the two top middleweights hasn’t been settled. Romero, a 40-year-old former Cuban Olympian, lost a decision in an interim title bout to Robert Whittaker in the main event of this past weekend’s (July 8, 2017) UFC 213. Had he had come […]
Yoel Romero will not be facing Michael Bisping next, but the bad blood between the two top middleweights hasn’t been settled.
Romero, a 40-year-old former Cuban Olympian, lost a decision in an interim title bout to Robert Whittaker in the main event of this past weekend’s (July 8, 2017) UFC 213. Had he had come out on top, Romero would be next in line to fight Bisping for the undisputed title, although that shot now belongs to “The Reaper”.
Bisping, however, was cage side for the bout and raised some eye brows when he decided to burn a Cuban flag in order to mock Romero.
Now just days removed from his battle with Whittaker, “The Solider of God” has fired back at “The Count”, posting a video to his official Instagram account of him burning a picture of Bisping:
Prior to his matchup with Whittaker, Romero had won an incredible eight straight fights. He was expected to receive a title shot after his impressive victory over Chris Weidman last November, but that never came to fruition.
Who would you like to see “The Solider of God” meet next?
After running through the UFC’s middleweight division with eight consecutive victories, Yoel Romero finally got the chance to fight for a title, albeit an interim one, at last night’s (June 8, 2017) UFC 213 against Robert Whittaker. Romero saw success early on in the bout, but he ultimately dropped a decision loss, as “The Reaper” […]
After running through the UFC’s middleweight division with eight consecutive victories, Yoel Romero finally got the chance to fight for a title, albeit an interim one, at last night’s (June 8, 2017) UFC 213 against Robert Whittaker.
Romero saw success early on in the bout, but he ultimately dropped a decision loss, as “The Reaper” pulled away as the fight carried on. Much of the Cuban’s success early on came from the use of leg kicks, and he even hurt Whittaker with them early on, which is why it was surprising to see him abandon the technique later in the fight.
“[I noticed it] after every time I would try to do the same side kick to the leg, he would change it,” Romero said.
“Yes, of course [I tried to use leg kicks], but he didn’t give me the opportunity,” Romero explained. “When I would try to do the same side kick to the leg, he would switch his leg, and I was running the risk of remaining in his [striking] guard, within reach of his hands.”
At 40 years of age, Romero certainly isn’t the youngest fighter in the division, although it doesn’t look like he’s planning on hanging up the gloves just yet, as he said that ‘the game is not over’:
“I’m fine, I’m ready. I have a pain in my left leg so let’s hope it’s nothing serious, but we’re still in the battle,” Romero said. “The game is not over, we have a second part. It’s to be continued.”
With an interim belt now strapped around his waist, Whittaker will likely go on to face champion Michael Bisping in a unification bout, so who would you like to see Romero take on next?
Another PPV in the books, and another night of fights to analyze. UFC 213 had it all, thrilling victories, crushing defeats, and all without a real main event. While Amanda Nunes pulled out of her title defense the day of UFC 213, the show must go on, and go on it surely did. Let’s take […]
Another PPV in the books, and another night of fights to analyze.
UFC 213 had it all, thrilling victories, crushing defeats, and all without a real main event. While Amanda Nunes pulled out of her title defense the day of UFC 213, the show must go on, and go on it surely did.
Let’s take a look at the five biggest takeaways from UFC 213.
5. Travis Browne Loses Fourth Fight In A Row
Years ago, “Hapa” seemed to be destined to become heavyweight champion. His massive 6’6 frame and athleticism was simply unparalleled at the time.
Browne had a few setbacks, sure. A draw with Cheick Kongo, a TKO loss to Bigfoot following a mid-fight injury, but then “Hapa” really came into his own.
He dispatched Gonzaga and Josh Barnett with his patented hellbows in a minute flat, and overcame adversity to knockout Alistair Overeem during a spirited run just a few years back.
And then, something changed. Browne decided to join his paramour Ronda Rousey at Glendale Fighting Club, and he hasn’t looked the same since.
He honestly looked like he didn’t want to be there while headlining the preliminary portion of UFC 213 on FS1.
Olyneik, a submission specialist, dropped Hapa in the second round and submitted him, but Browne looked done well before the finish.
Now with just two wins in his past eight fights, the book appears to have closed on Hapa’s UFC career, to the point where Dana White said Browne ought to retire at the post-fight press conference.
What a dramatic downfall for a once-promising contender.
The UFC middleweight division has been tied up as of late due to champion Michael Bisping. Although he did defend his belt once against then No. 14-ranked middleweight Dan Henderson (in Hendo’s retirement fight), but hasn’t fought since their October 2016 rematch. And while speculation ran rampant over his proposed championship bout against former welterweight […]
The UFC middleweight division has been tied up as of late due to champion Michael Bisping.
Although he did defend his belt once against then No. 14-ranked middleweight Dan Henderson (in Hendo’s retirement fight), but hasn’t fought since their October 2016 rematch.
And while speculation ran rampant over his proposed championship bout against former welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre, that fight hasn’t even been scheduled due to injuries.
The rest of the 185 pound division is losing their patience waiting for the champ to defend his belt, but UFC president Dana White assured fighters and fans alike that Bisping is not turning down or refusing fights.
“I’m going to tell you this: There are guys who turn down fights every day here – some I’m very public about, some I’m not, ” White said. “Bisping does not turn down fights. Bisping does not turn down fights. He does not. So I have a lot of respect for Mike. I like guys (like him).
“You’re in the fight business. You should be willing to fight anybody, anywhere, any time – especially if you’re the champion or one of the top (expletive) five guys in the world. You shouldn’t be turning down fights with anybody. Bisping does not.”
Photo by Joe Camporeale for USA TODAY Sports
Bisping’s extended inactivity has forced the UFC to create an interim middleweight belt, which will be settled between Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero at UFC 213 in Las Vegas this weekend.
White seems to be shying away from the GSP fight that the UFC had initially proposed. The former welterweight champion says he’s admanant about returning to the octagon after retiring back in 2013, but news recently broke that he would fight the winner of UFC 214s Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia title fight. So fight fans should probably forget about that matchup for now, as White insisted that Bisping will fight the interim champ once he is healthy enough to return.
“(Bisping) is in line for the winner,” White said. “Bisping’s never turned down a fight, this guy. Me and Bisping go back a long way from his season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and I’ve done a lot of things for Michael Bisping, and Michael Bisping’s done a lot of things for me.”
“I’m in this situation right now where Bisping’s hurt,” White said. “This should be Bisping vs. Romero right now. Whittaker just destroyed ‘Jacare’ and Romero has been beating everybody along the way, waiting for this title shot.
“Bisping’s not ready yet. And if there was ever an interim title fight, how is this one not worthy? This fight’s going to be ridiculous.”
It’s true that White has alienated many with his confusing statements of late where it seems whatever he says will happen never does and what he says will not happens soon, and that hasn’t helped his reputation during a year where he’s publicly feuded with flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson in the midst of the one of the slowest starts to a year in terms of pay-per-view (PPV) sales in UFC history.
But White has one thing correct here, and that’s the insistence that Yoel Romero vs. Robert Whittaker promises to be a great fight. And whomever wins this weekend, White insists Bisping will fight the winner.
Michael Bisping is sick of listening to the ‘little b*itches on the internet’ that are accusing him of ducking fights. The reigning UFC middleweight champion hasn’t competed since last October when he scored a decision victory over Dan Henderson in his first title defense. Since then, he has been highly criticized for pursuing a fight […]
Michael Bisping is sick of listening to the ‘little b*itches on the internet’ that are accusing him of ducking fights.
The reigning UFC middleweight champion hasn’t competed since last October when he scored a decision victory over Dan Henderson in his first title defense. Since then, he has been highly criticized for pursuing a fight with returning former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre instead of taking on red hot No. 1-contender Yoel Romero.
Earlier this year, UFC President Dana White announced that Bisping and St. Pierre would indeed be fighting later this year, but he has since pulled the plug on that bout, while booking Romero against No. 3-ranked Robert Whittaker for an interim title at this weekend’s (July 8, 2017) UFC 213.
At the end of the day, Bisping feels as if the accusations against him don’t ‘stack up’:
“It’s annoying because the general consensus, well not the general consensus, the little bitches on the internet are all talking shit like I’m trying to avoid fighters. May I remind everybody that I have had more fights in the UFC than any other human being on planet earth. I have more wins incidentally, as well,” Bisping told Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of The MMA Hour.
“So the fact that all of a sudden I am avoiding fighting is ridiculous. Another theory is that I am trying to hold on to my belt for as long as possible. If that were the case, then last time after I beat Rockhold, on that Monday, I was still hungover from the celebrating, I accepted a fight against Dan Henderson less than 48 hours after I won the fucking thing. So, I have more fights than anyone, I agreed to fight someone less than 48 hours after I won that belt, so it doesn’t stack up,” he reiterated.
Bisping also urged St. Pierre to ‘do f*cking something’ if he truly wants to make the fight happen:
“I wanted to fight to ‘GSP’ — why wouldn’t I want to fight him, that’s the big business. He was the welterweight champion forever, that would be good for my legacy. Now Dana is saying he doesn’t want that fight, but Georges does want that fight, I know I want it. If they make the Georges thing happen, I am all in,” he said.
“Georges, if you are watching this, I have done everything I can. I have called Dana White, I have expressed my desire. Every time I talk on the phone with him I ask him, but he says ‘GSP’ doesn’t want the fight, and that he wants to fight at Welterweight. So Georges, I’ve done everything I can, if you want it to happen, get on the phone and do fucking something.”
A bout with St. Pierre undoubtedly presents the most lucrative option for Bisping, although the situation has clearly held up the 185-pound division. “The Count”, however, has also been dealing with a knee injury, but he confirmed that he will return by the end of the year and he ‘couldn’t give a s*it’ who he fights:
“I’m sick of everybody saying I don’t want to fight. Honestly, who I fight next, I couldn’t give a shit. Whether it’s St-Pierre, Yoel Romero, Whittaker, I’m sick of the bullshit. I’ve got to fight, I’m training again. My knee is still very much giving me issues, but who cares, I’ve got to fight and I’m shaking off the cobwebs and getting ready. By the end of the year, one of those three is going to get it.”
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has been out of action for just over a year now. After losing his 185-pound title to Michael Bisping in shocking fashion at UFC 199 last June in California, Rockhold was booked to rematch former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza last November, but he was forced to withdraw from […]
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has been out of action for just over a year now.
After losing his 185-pound title to Michael Bisping in shocking fashion at UFC 199 last June in California, Rockhold was booked to rematch former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza last November, but he was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering a knee injury.
Since then, Rockhold has been quite open in voicing his displeasure with the state of the middleweight division and the path that Bisping has taken since winning his title, although it appears as if Rockhold is now ready to step back inside the Octagon.
Recently speaking with TMZ, the ex-champion said that he would be open to fighting No. 4-ranked Gegard Mousasi, while also saying that he’d be ready to step in for either Yoel Romero or Robert Whittaker, who will fight for an interim title at July 8’s UFC 213, if need be:
“Ask Mousasi, that’s what they want. I like it,” Rockhold said. “It’s just a matter of…he’s a man of principle, so I give him some credit, he’s going to wait and see the best offer. Can’t fault a man for that, but I think that’s the fight that makes sense right now.”
“I’m training. I’ll be ready. Something happens to Yoel, Whittaker, I’ll be ready to fill in too.”
Rockhold also spoke on Bisping, whom he beat back in 2014, saying that a trilogy bout with “The Count” is also a fight he’d obviously like:
“Is he gonna fight anybody in the division that’s worthwhile? I’m just gonna do my thing, I’m gonna fight when I have to fight. I’m looking for a fight. Of course I want a third fight with Michael.”
