When the Bisping vs. GSP ship sailed back

UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping’s career is a testament to the overarching power of fighting everything that comes your way. He began fighting in 2003, at 205, and went 10-0. That got him onto a new reality series called TUF, and three fights later he was The Ultimate Fighter 3.

Then he scored two fast knockouts before winning a split decision over Matt Hammill and losing a split decision to Rashad Evans. Two fights later Evans was UFC champion. Bisping made the miserable decision to cut to 185, and it proved to be a success – he won three in a row, earning him a #1 contender fight vs. Dan Henderson. Then he lost that by the most famous KO in UFC history.

But Michael Bisping fought on.

He won one, lost one, and hit his stride again, winning four in a row this time, which got him another #1 contender fight, vs. Chael Sonnen. He lost that too, but fought on. The Count alternated wins and losses three times before hitting his stride and winning three in a row which earned him a title fight on short notice.

And then, after fighting for a dozen years, Michael Bisping became champion of the world at age 37. In his first defense, he got revenge on Henderson and his H-Bomb, and with that he broke the UFC record for most wins, with 20.

However, although no one had more UFC fights in history, he wasn’t rich.

“I see Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor getting $3 million guaranteed, plus pay-per-view, so that would be $10 million paydays,” he said during an appearance earlier this year on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour. “I’ve never had a $10 million payday. I’ve never had a $1 million payday.”

Then the UFC offered him a fight with returning welterweight G.O.A.T. Georges St-Pierre. GSP is one of a handful of the top pay per view television draws in league history. As champion, Bisping would get points on the PPV.

Just got that carrot dangled in front of my face of a several-million-dollar payday,” said Bisping. “Call me stupid, but I want that f***ing carrot. I want that several million dollars in my bank account. I want it for my children’s sake, for my family, for when I’m retired so we can still live a good life. That’s why I’m doing it. Not because I’m trying to rob the UFC, or rob the fans of the No. 1 contender, or do wrong to Yoel Romero. I want it for my family’s sake.”

Then St-Pierre dithered as Bisping recovered from an injured knee and UFC president said the Bisping vs. GSP ship had sailed. GSP was fighting for the welterweight title, said White. In the meantime, Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero fought for the Interim belt, and Whittaker won. But he hurt his knee in the process and needs many months to recover.

Still, White was adamant that the Bisping vs. GSP ship had sailed. However, during the fifth round of Saturday’s Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia fight, as the crowd loudly booed in boredom at the champion, White changed his mind. The bout crushed the record for least punches thrown in a five round title fight.

“That ship f@$%ing turned around and sailed back,” said White post fight, as transcribed by Coral Barry for Metro.co.uk. “If you get booed out of the arena, that’s not good. That’s not how you make money. If people don’t want to watch you, it’s a bad sign.”

“GSP is fighting Michael Bisping. Because I know Bisping will fight. I’m gonna give it to him.”

Bisping will fight. He has always fought everything that came his way. But this time he will make millions. There is precious little justice in this sport, but Michael Bisping vs. GSP is justice, and it will be exciting.