Michael Bisping Predicts Dan Henderson Will Use Steroids At UFC 204

Yesterday (August 4, 2016), it was finally confirmed that newly crowned UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping will make the first defense of his title in a rematch nearly seven years in the making when he meets veteran Dan Henderson in the main event of October 8’s UFC 204 from Manchester, England. The two first met at UFC 100 in 2009 with “Hendo” scoring one of the most emphatic knockouts of all-time.

This time, however, Bisping expects the outcome to be different, although he did recently make a bold prediction, saying that “Hendo” will attempt to cheat:

“Let me tell you this, lightning does not strike twice. It struck once the first time, it will not strike twice. There will be no TRT, no drugs, no steroids, no performance-enhancing drugs. Dan Henderson I challenge you to announce to me at the press conference that you will not take any performance-enhancing drugs, that if USADA show up on any day, any time they can test you, because I think he’s gonna cheat. I think he’s gonna go out there and have some sneaky PEDs because he’s gonna think, ‘Well screw it. If I get suspended, so what? I’m retiring anyway.’ Bisping said on his podcast.

“I think he’s gonna juice because if he gets popped, he’s just gonna get suspended. That is no consequence to him and people will remember that he retired as champion even though it would be a No Contest. If he was to get the win, he could still retire saying, ‘I just beat the world champion.’”

On the flip side, however, Bisping expects Henderson to make it to the Octagon given the payday he would be risking if he were to test positive, although “The Count” wouldn’t be surprised either way:
“But then again, the problem with that is if he was to go out there and do that, with USADA, – and I’m gonna make sure this guy is thoroughly tested – and if he was to test positive, then the fight would be off. So that is the only deterrent I think. Because he’s gonna earn a lot of money for this fight and if he wants to collect on that paycheck, he’s got to make it to the octagon. So he’s playing with fire but we’ve seen it time and time again, people do play with fire even though they know USADA might turn up…People do make these stupid f**king mistakes. Dan Henderson being a weird version of bloody Fred Flintstone – that’s what I’m gonna nickname him, he looks like Fred Flintstone – he will probably make that mistake.”

Despite Bisping’s claims, Henderson has never failed a test, and it’s unlikely that he’d risk it in what’s likely to be his last fight ever.

Thoughts?