Michael Bisping Has An Opponent In Mind For His First Title Defense

Newly crowned UFC middleweight champion Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping is coming off a first round knockout victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199, to secure his first UFC title in his lengthy ten year UFC career.

Now less than a week after winning the coveted 185-pound strap, Bisping claims he already has an opponent in mind for his first title defense and it’s not a Rockhold trilogy bout.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Bisping dished on his post-fight exchange with Rockhold, his past doubts about ever winning a UFC title, his use of a ‘homophobic slur’, and more.

Bisping first spoke on how he felt after finally winning the title, comparing it to the feeling of climbing Mount Everest:

“I do feel it internally. This is a lifelong quest. I’ve been in the UFC for 10 years. Of course, there were a couple darker days along the way where you thought this was never going to happen, but as a fighter, you have to have self-belief.

It’s here now and it’s a little surreal. It does feel like I have achieved … it feels like I’ve made it to the top of Mount Everest and I passed a few dead bodies along the way. It feels like I climbed Mount Everest with one leg and everybody said to me, “Nobody can climb Mount Everest with one leg.”

Because I knew everybody was writing me off. I had a lot of critics and fans who never thought I could do this, so, yeah, it feels good.”

While it took ‘The Count’ a lengthy ten years in the promotion to finally realize his dream, there were instances where Bisping questioned if he’d ever get to the top of the UFC’s 185-pound division:

“I can’t remember any exact instances of when they occurred, but I had No. 1 contender matchups several times and I lost them all. After that loss to Luke, I knew I could always have a career in fighting and make money.

But when you’re getting into your late 30s, you’ve got to be realistic, of course. That negativity doesn’t last long with myself, though. You start putting together a win streak, you fight Anderson Silva [in February] and get a win, you think a title shot has to be on the horizon.

I’m generally an optimist, but of course, when you’ve been with the UFC for a decade and still not had a title shot, there is a little part of you that wonders if it will ever happen.”

Bisping’s initial meeting with Rockhold ended with the Englishman tapping to a mounted guillotine, however, Bisping doesn’t believe much changed from the first bout except the mental aspect of things:

“Technically, to be honest, nothing really changed from the first fight. The thing that really changed was the mental aspect. The mind controls everything, it really does. You have to be calm in there and maybe I was letting the emotions get the better of me in the first fight.

I’ve said it a million times, that in an anguished state of mind, you’re never the best version of yourself. There was no love lost between Luke and I, but I wasn’t looking at it like that.

And I have no ill will towards the guy. I really don’t. I was there for myself. The opponent was irrelevant. I was calm with a smile on my face and that was the difference.”

Following Bisping’s title win Saturday, rather than shaking hands and embracing to congratulate one another, the two men embroiled in a back-and-forth banter of words at the post-fight press conference:

“What happened was, after the fight was over, of course I’m happy, I was thanking the crowd. I went past Luke and shook his hand and said, “Well done.” I always say that, win or lose. It’s a hard thing to be a pro fighter, so I shook his hand and said that.

I was making my way around the Octagon after that, thanking different fan sections, basking in my moment — rightfully so, by the way — I had just become world champion. I found myself passing Luke again. As I was passing him, I wanted to reiterate my sentiment and shake his hand again.

He said, “I just shook your hand. I don’t want to shake your hand again.” I was like, “Are you serious? You know what? F— you then.” That’s where it all started. Then I walked into the press conference and he was already berating me, saying all kinds of s—. I said, “If that’s how you want to be, then I’m not going to be nice.”

It’s hard to be humble when the guy is sitting three feet away from you being a d—. I wish I would have turned the other cheek, but he kind of did get under my skin. I wish I didn’t have the verbal sparring match with him, but it is what it is.”

When asked about his first title defense Bisping was adamant that he would love to make his first defense in London, but Rockhold would certainly not be his opponent for the time being:

“”As of right now, Luke Rockhold will not be my first defense. That’s a fact. I had to go away and beat three more guys before I got a second shot at Luke.

Certainly, after his behavior on Saturday, he should have to go away and do the same. He wasn’t even close. And it’s not like Luke beat me, then I beat Luke, so therefore we have to go again right away. The first fight was two years ago. Neither of us were champion then.

He became champion, good for him. And I just knocked him out in the first round. Luke’s an incredible fighter. He probably has better technical skill than I do. He’s going to go away and do it the old-fashioned way like I had to.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not going to give you a name. There is someone I’ve got my eye on, but ultimately it’s down to the UFC. I do get a say since I’m the champion, so that’s nice.

But I’ve never turned down an opponent and I certainly don’t intend to start as a champion. We’ll see what happens. There’s plenty of viable contenders.

Defending the title in the U.K. is certainly something I’d love to do, and I’ve already made it clear to Dana White that I would like to do that.””

Bisping was then asked of the ‘homophobic slur’ he let slip out at the post-fight press conference, which he used to insult the former champ he had just knocked out:

“I’m hesitant to make a statement, because it kind of throws fuel on the fire, but the fact of the matter is that’s not a word that is generally in my vocabulary.

Growing up in northern England, that’s a word used a lot and it wasn’t a homophobic slur. It was more when you refer to somebody as a wimp, that type of thing.

That was how we used the word. Now, of course, I’m a grown man and I realize the negative connotations and associations that word has and it’s a word I don’t use.

But Luke and I were in a heated argument and I kind of went back to the memory bank of an insult I used when I was at school and it just came out. As soon as I said it, I said, “Oh s—, what on earth did I say that for?”

I’m not homophobic in the slightest. I have lots of gay friends and associates. If I did cause any offense to anybody, I profusely apologize because that’s not me.”

So who might this mystery opponent be that the champ has in mind, and will he meet Rockhold once more down the road?