Luke Rockhold: This Is My Opportunity To Shut Michael Bisping Up
The war of words between UFC middleweights Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold continued in the wake of UFC Fight Night 48, as “Trhe Count” called out “Rocky” once again. The Englishman scored a brutal TKO against Cung Le in Macau, leaving the former Strikeforce champion battered and bloodied.
With the stage seemingly set for the two rivals to finally meet, Rockhold appeared on today’s edition of The MMA Hour to discuss the recent bet he proposed to “The Count”. Rockhold had stated that he would finish Bisping in one round, or pay the Brit his entire paycheck.
“I’d love to shut Bisping up, this is the opportunity I have to do that. Let’s do it, Bisping had a win finally, so let me step in and finish him. I told him I’d finish him in one round, I bet him, but he wouldn’t take that bet. All he has gotta do is survive one round, he started backpedalling and making excuses right away. I came down to get coffee the next morning and Bisping was there, his Dad and his friend were giving me shit all week. I asked him for the gentlemen’s bet, he wouldn’t take my bet.”
The fight between Bisping and Rockhold may put a temporary halt on the proposed bout with Lyoto Machida, as the former light-heavyweight champion was being targeted for “Rocky”. It would appear that the feud between Rockhold and “The Count” is overshadowing a fight against “The Dragon”.
“He’s not a man of his word. Let’s make the fight, and if he wants to put his money where his mouth is, let’s do it. After the fight his buddy and his Dad were jumping on to my back and slapping at me. He got the better of Cung Le, Bisping’s tough, he’s decent, but I’m gonna finish him. I talked to a few people, and I think there is a good possibility that it will happen. I plan on making it happen when I get back to the States.”
With the well published beef between Bisping and Rockhold at an all-time high, do you think the two could headline an event? Perhaps a Fight Night card on US soil, or maybe even a co-main slot on a pay-per-view card? The former Strikeforce boss seems intent on fighting Bisping, and the rankings would suggest there is scope for the scrap too.
“I’m going to walk through his pitter-patter, and finish him in one round. I wouldn’t do this with anybody else, but I have no respect for Bisping. I’d like to raise the stakes and add some pressure.”
We’ll keep you posted to this almost certain booking as details arise!
