Michael Bisping doesn’t know me, but I don’t think he likes me a whole lot. At least that’s the impression I got after hearing from an editor some of the stuff Bisping supposedly angrily and quite inappropriately said to him over a phone call, after The Count read this story of mine.
I also don’t know Michael Bisping, so I have no strong personal opinion of him. Sure, he routinely says and does annoyingly boorish things – like spitting on the opposition after UFC 127 (which followed his cheating in the fight), slapping a reporter, or calling his last opponent a homophobic slur after beating him at UFC 199 – but Bisping rarely disappoints with his fighting.
Furthermore, before he supposedly blew up about the above story, Bisping gave me one of the more open and self-aware telephone interviews I’ve ever conducted. It all followed a pretty blunt question as well – Basically, I asked Bisping to make something of the paradox of his often acting classless in public while making such a great impression on so many people he trains with and knows, personally.
The soon to be middleweight champion didn’t act offended. Instead, he admitted to being emotional and complicated. “I don’t know if I can answer it right here but I can say that I’m a complicated person. I’m a very emotional person, he told me.
Sometimes I can be nice, I like to think so, at least. Other times, honestly, I can be a f@$%ing dick. I have a temper and can explode unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Maybe I’m schizophrenic (laughs). Who knows?
“But I think I’ve mellowed with age. I’ve said and done some things that I’m not proud of. I’ve matured. I have a beautiful wife and three children, and I have nothing to be angry about. My life is great. When I was younger, I was very angry about a lot of stuff. I think I’m a pretty decent person.”
I was impressed with Bisping’s introspection and openness to a stranger, then. Now, as he heads into his first-ever title defense in Manchester, I’m impressed with his guts.
Of course, that isn’t really a new thing. Whatever one thinks of Bisping’s extra-curricular trash talk, he is nothing if not gutsy.
For over a decade, he’s fought the best of the best at multiple weight classes. Through ups and downs, and when perhaps no one else also thought it, he maintained that he was the best, and could prove it if just given the chance.
Now, he’s proven it. The new champion reached the mountaintop as he closes in on 40 years of age.
He’s got a long list of dangerous, and younger opponents waiting to challenge him. Instead, Bisping chose the oldest possible foe for his UFC 204 main event – Dan Henderson.
The thing is, Henderson is also probably the most dangerous fight Bisping could have taken. Sure, Hollywood is past his prime at 46 years of age.
That hasn’t stopped him from winning two out of his last three fights by KO, though. And, that’s the point – even though Bisping should be the favorite at UFC 204 this Saturday in his home of England, just because he has less wear and much more mobility and intact reflexes at this point – no one packs one-strike KO power like Hendo does.
If Bisping wins, he’ll avenge a 2009 highlight reel knockout loss to Henderson at UFC 100. Of course, the world likely wouldn’t give him much credit for it if he does – 2016 Dan Henderson is not 2009 Dan Henderson, after all.
Should Bisping lose to Henderson, however, he’ll just become the B-side of perhaps the greatest retirement fight victory in MMA history.
Once again, he’ll be on the wrong side of a nasty Dan Henderson highlight – this time on a macro-level. Thinking about it from a distance, this fight is all risk and no reward for Bisping.
It would appear, however, that the Brit took the fight for the most personal of reasons. Michael Bisping wants to punch Dan Henderson in the face.
Bisping wants to beat a man who beat him. If the world doesn’t give Bisping credit after he does it, why would he care?
Most of us haven’t given him much credit for his entire career, anyhow. Fighting is as personal as it gets, yet observers often discuss it with inaccurately detached terms.
What does this mean to your legacy?
Where do you see yourself in the division?
Who do you want to fight, next?
These questions are typical from journalists to fighters. Usually, fighters couldn’t care less about them.
Whatever else a fight may represent or symbolize, it is, first and foremost, a fight. That’s plenty to worry about in and of itself when you’re one of the fighters.
Blows will be exchanged, hurt will be handed out. Bisping got to the top and so got to choose his next opponent.
He could have chosen a fight for legacy or posterity or to satisfy fans by taking on the best available challengers. Instead, Bisping chose his opponent based on who he wanted to hit, most.
Believe it or not, not every world-class fighter actually loves fighting. All signs have always pointed to Michael Bisping truly loving fighting – the act of scrapping and risking life and limb.
Maybe Bisping is a bully. Maybe he doesn’t always act as he should.
He certainly is a fighter, however. And, in a world full of bullies, he at least had the guts to look across the schoolyard and point out the guy who beat him the worst, who hurt him the most, and say, You. Again.
About the author
Elias Cepeda has served as a writer and editor covering mixed martial arts and combat sports, as well as public and cultural affairs, since 2005. He began as a staff writer for InsideFighting, and not long thereafter became publisher and editor of the page. Cepeda then went to write for Yahoo! Sports’ boxing and MMA pages, and edited their Cagewriter blog. He was hired away by FOX Sports, but after several years departed over philosophical differences with the executive leadership around important issues of journalism ethics. A student of and sometime competitor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA since 1999, Elias brings a unique and vibrant presence to reporting, and enjoys trying to highlight shared humanity and connect common experiences from seemingly different worlds.
We are honored that Elias writes a weekly column for The UnderGround.
