“Real wrestlers suck balls” Former UFC Champ Michael Bisping Blasts Olympian Daniel Cormier in Heated Rant
In a heated exchange, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping took aim at Olympic-level wrestlers, including former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier, during a recent discussion about the role of wrestling in MMA.
Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier
Michael Bisping’s comments highlight his belief that collegiate or Olympic-style wrestling does not seamlessly translate to MMA without adaptation. His critique is on the importance of adjusting grappling techniques to account for striking, the cage, and other variables unique to the sport.
While his delivery was blunt, the former UFC middleweight champion explained:
“Real wrestlers suck balls. The problem is, you bring any of those guys in a cage—unless they learn how to do it in a cage—I will head-kick you. They suck. And that’s why most of them can’t do s*. Wrestlers suck,” Bisping said during the conversation during the UFC weigh-ins show. He specifically addressed Cormier, claiming, “You put me up against the fence, DC, you could not take me down with a single.”
Cormier was trying to explain to Bisping that it is first most important to learn wrestling fundamentals before learning takedown defense. Meanwhile, Michael Bisping responded that wrestling in MMA is an entirely different game.
Daniel Cormier was an NCAA Division I wrestler who also represented the USA at the Olympics. He has experience in Greco-Roman and Folkstyle wrestling but his bread and butter was Freestyle. Once he transitioned to MMA, Cormier quickly made himself known by winning a Strikeforce heavyweight title as an undefeated fighter and ultimately became a two-division UFC champion. Cormier is likely best known for his rivalries against all-time greats Jon Jones, in the UFC, and Cael Sanderson, in wrestling.
The UK-born Michael Bisping is best known for becoming UFC middleweight champion with his impressive knockout against Luke Rockhold. ‘The Count’ Bisping was a volume striker recognized for his unreal cardio. Throughout his UFC tenure, he had wars against notable fighters such as Wanderlei Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dan Henderson, Cung Le, and all-time great Anderson Silva.
Michael Bisping’s fiery remarks about Olympic and collegiate wrestling in MMA have reignited a long-standing debate about the adaptability of traditional wrestling in the cage. Daniel Cormier, with his decorated wrestling and MMA career, shows how wrestlers can thrive in the sport when properly adapted. The exchange between these two legends shows their differing perspectives as each comes from entirely unique background to MMA.
