Michael Bisping Explains Why He Interviewed Joseph Benavidez Following KO

Michael Bisping surprised many when he interviewed Joseph Benavidez last month.

Benavidez suffered a brutal knockout defeat at the hands of Deiveson Figueiredo in their vacant flyweight title fight in the UFC Norfolk headliner. Although main event losers are usually interviewed, it is rare for fighters who have been knocked out to be allowed on the microphone.

Nonetheless, Bisping interviewed a disappointed Benavidez who failed in his third attempt at becoming UFC flyweight champion. So why did he do it? “The Count” was simply following the instructions he was given.

“I did hear a lot of people mention it, and I haven’t commented,” Bisping said in an interview with theScore (via MMA Junkie). “… I have an earpiece in and they tell me what to do. The truck, as it’s known – you know the people in the trucks? – they call the shots. They decide whether a person is going to be interviewed or not. They tell me how many questions.

“I don’t think I’m revealing any trade secrets here. They said, ‘Yeah, go ahead and see if Joseph wants to speak.’ So I went and saw him.”

Many have criticized the likes of Joe Rogan in the past for interviewing fighters who had just been knocked out. Bisping understands the criticism, but given how it went, he felt Benavidez handled the situation well.

“Joe handled it with class,” Bisping added. “I understand why you shouldn’t interview fighters that have just been knocked out. But I don’t think he was knocked out solid. Either way, I was following orders.”

What do you make of Bisping’s response?