Gegard Mousasi: The UFC Has Always Protected Michael Bisping

Heading in to this evening’s UFC Belfast card, Gegard Mousasi has revenge on his mind. After being convincingly starched by Uriah Hall in their first fight, the well-travelled veteran ‘Dreamcatcher’ gets a second crack at the whip. Since joining the UFC in April 2013, Mousasi has gone 7-3 and is currently riding three straight wins. More recently we’ve seen a new side to the former DREAM & Strikeforce champion, as he’s become a lot more vocal in between fights.

Blasting Conor McGregor after UFC 204, Mousasi went after the now two-weight world champion in a post-fight rant. This resulted in McGregor allegedly threatening to stab ‘The Dreamcatcher’ for his comments. The 48-fight veteran hasn’t limited his trash talk to the popular Irishman, as his latest opponent Vitor Belfort caught considerable shade from Mousasi. Moving on from that rivalry, the Dutchman has began taking a few swipes at Michael Bisping.

Mousasi Says Bisping Is Protected

Speaking with the ‘Three Amigos Podcast,’ as quoted by Bloody Elbow, Gegard Mousasi discusses middleweight champion Michael Bisping. The British brawler had previously stated he would not fight Yoel Romero because of his past failed USADA test, something Mousasi doesn’t agree with:

“Well, he can say whatever he wants, but when the UFC wants to make that fight, it’s gonna happen. I don’t know…to be honest, they’ve always protected Michael Bisping a little bit because he’s from the UK and they need him for that market.”

Credit: Jason Silva USA Today

Problems With Past Abuse?

Furthering his opinion on Bisping vs. Romero, which is now targeted for Spring 2017, Mousasi says he’s happy to fight any past offenders, as long as they’re clean now:

I feel like there’s different standards for certain fighters. Take Nick Diaz; he was suspended for five years for smoking weed, but some fighters get less—even Anderson Silva. He got a 1-year suspension, and he was caught for many things. It depends on what caliber fighter and how popular you are. Do I think it’s fair? No.

If people are cheating, they should be punished, but if they’re clean, let them fight. I fought Vitor Belfort, and he has a past of TRT, but when I fought him, he was clean. Going into that fight, I don’t care if he cheated before, as long as he’s now clean.

I think USADA has done that, so I’m not afraid to fight anybody, because I know they’ve been tested and it’s very difficult to cheat. You must be really stupid to cheat, because you’re gonna get caught.

In the past, people have made a whole career with using steroids and even become the champion and made a lot of money. That’s the truth. I’m a fighter, I know exactly who cheated his way to the top. I’m not going to say any names…

That’s in the past, though. If somebody used something before, and they’re now clean, who cares? It’s a fair fight now. The past is the past.

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