Shogun Rua vs Michael Bisping? “The Count” Is Happy With Catchweight
A potential Shogun Rua vs Michael Bisping fight could be on the horizon, as both parties have expressed an interest in making it happen. Earlier today, Rua’s manager Eduardo Alonso told Portal, via MMAFighting.com, that he wants to see the Pride FC legend tangle with the outspoken Brit at 195 pounds.
“”I would really like to see ‘Shogun’ in a catchweight bout next, I suggested some names to the UFC, and I would like it to be at 195 pounds, like Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort did before dropping down. It would be a good way to test the weight cut, to see if he would perform better, how he would deal with the process, and if that would give him a new motivation.”
“If I could choose, I’d love to see him fighting Michael Bisping,” Alonso said. “Bisping has a fight coming up in April, so it’s too soon to imagine what’s next, and it’s not even set with the UFC yet if he’s really going to fight at catchweight or not.”
Although nothing is set in stone, fans of the former Pride FC middleweight Grand Prix winner have been talking about a change for a while. Seeing Rua finished by Dan Henderson in their 2014 rematch was tough to watch, even harder was the shocking knockout loss to Ovince St-Preux. “OSP” finished the Brazilian in just 34 seconds.
As Shogun’s manager suggested, maybe a drop down 10 pounds to 195 would serve as a good tester, and “The Count” has already responded via his Twitter account:
I hear shoguns manager said shogun is interested in a fight with me at a catch weight of 195lbs. After my fight coming up, I'm in!!!
— michael (@bisping) January 28, 2015
Bisping is currently booked in to face CB Dolloway at UFC 186 this coming April, but could arguably meet Rua regardless of the outcome. The Ultimate Fighter season three winner last competed against Luke Rockhold at UFC Fight Night 55, in a second round submission loss he’d probably rather forget.
What do you think, would Shogun Rua vs Michael Bisping sell?
