Bisping responds to Romero’s “Idiotic, scumbag” manager

The best-known manager in MMA, Malki Kawa, appeared recently on The Luke Thomas Show on SiriusXM Rush and said that UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping was “absolutely” ducking Yoel Romero. Kawa was not unsympathetic.

What I’ve seen from Mike is that he’s gonna call his shots and he’s gonna make smart moves, which I can’t blame him for,” said Kawa. “If you were managing Michael Bisping or you were Michael Bisping and you had your choice of waiting on a guy who’s been out for two and a half years, which might get you your largest payday, or fighting a guy who’s probably the scariest person in the UFC at this point…”

However, Bisping does not subscribe to the turn the other cheek mentality – that would be bad for business.

I’m not scared of Yoel Romero, contrary to what his idiotic manager said yesterday,” said Bisping, as transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. “What I understand is his idiotic manager needs Yoel to be in a big fight because right now, who is Malki Kawa managing? Who is he earning pay from? He makes his money off fighters, his cash cow is Jon Jones who’s out of the equation right now. He’s not earning money off of him so he needs Yoel Romero to be in a big fight because Yoel’s not a big earner, to my knowledge. Malki needs some cash. That’s why he’s out here, talking a little bit of smack about me trying to generate some interest because he needs his 20 percent of Yoel Romero, simple as that.

I haven’t been offered a fight. If they offer me Yoel Romero, I will take it. If they offer me GSP, I will take it. I’m not here for the good of the UFC. I’m here for the Bisping family, simple as that.

I couldn’t care less about Yoel Romero. I couldn’t care less about his rights or his this or his that or whatever. His scumbag manager can cover it up but the guy tested positive for steroids. There’s no smoke without fire… I’ve got my questions about USADA confirming it was a tainted supplement. There’s no smoke without fire. But that’s old news. That’s old history. Again, I’m not here for the benefit of Yoel Romero. I’ve already said if the UFC offers me a fight with Yoel Romero, and I can take the fight and it’s in the timeline, I will take the fight. But I’m not here sitting at night worrying about what’s best for Yoel Romero.

Bisping estimates that a fight with former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre would make at least two and a half to three times the payday,” over a fight with Romero. There are multiple story lines, including records – Bisping holds the UFC record for wins, with 20. GSP is tied for #2 with 19.

There is a certain stimuli to it,” said Bisping. “Georges St-Pierre and I were tied for most victories in the UFC. I’ve been around the UFC forever, he’s been around the UFC forever. I’m the middleweight champion, he was the one-time welterweight champ. Him coming back, after a long layoff, trying to become the middleweight champ; there’s a good storyline there and like I said, we’re both long-time fighters for the UFC so there is a storyline there.

There’s also a story line of me taking on the number one contender and beating that guy which I want to do. And as I’ve said, if the UFC offer me Yoel Romero, I will take it. If the UFC offer me GSP, I will be happy man because it will be a bigger pay day. I’ll take either fight but I will say this: if it is Georges St-Pierre, it will be a quick turnaround and I will fight Yoel Romero either way.

If it is Georges St-Pierre, if I win the GSP raffle so to speak, I will fight Yoel Romero in a quick turnaround – six weeks, seven weeks, something like that. I’ve said it before, Georges St-Pierre isn’t the type of guy, I don’t think, where I’m gonna come out of there black and blue. He’s not a big power puncher. If I lose that fight, I’d just get taken down and controlled on the ground for a bit. As I’ve said, that’s not gonna happen. I’ll do a quick turnaround, and I’ll happily face Yoel Romero. So we’re only talking six-eight weeks tops, and he’ll get the fight anyway. I’m just trying to get a pay day in between. I don’t see what the big issue is. He’s still gonna be there in six to eight weeks, I’m still gonna be there in six to eight weeks.

Bisping is recovering from minor knee surgery, and plans to return to the Octagon early this summer. GSP return schedule is unknown.

And for the record, Kawa is neither an idiot nor a scumbag.