Chris Weidman isn't backing down from Michael Bisping's verbal taunts.
Speaking Monday on The MMA Hour broadcast with host Ariel Helwani, the former champ said he believed the current champ lost his title defense against Dan Henderson, which occurred Saturday at UFC 204.
After a close five-round fight that saw Bisping outland Henderson but absorb far more damage, judges awarded Bisping the unanimous decision by a score of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.
"I scored it for Henderson," Weidman said. "I thought he won the first round, maybe 10-8. ...and then the second round, I thought he won. He was getting pitter-pattered most of the round, but he almost finished the fight again in the second round. I think if you almost finish it, you win the round. It doesn't matter how long you were losing the round. He was never in danger in the second, so I thought he won that round. Then, I also thought he won the fifth round."
After the fight, Bisping called out several potential challengers. According to Raza Kazi of Give Me Sport (language NSFW):
Forgive my language, all you f****g c********s in the rest of the division. Weidman, what the hell, you lost your last fight. I’ve had three fights since you got your ass kicked off Luke Rockhold. Rockhold, I knocked you out in three minutes, buddy. Yoel Romero, you’re suspended for steroids, shame on you. And [Ronaldo] Jacare [Souza], you just got beat off Yoel. All of you, win a fight, get off the couch and f*****g let’s do this.
It seems Weidman was no more impressed with Bisping's performance on the mic than he was his performance in the cage.
"That guy had it in his head before the fight, and told himself, 'after I dominate Dan Henderson, I'm going to get on the mic and call out all these four guys and say certain things about them, and it's going to look really cool," Weidman said. "So I was embarrassed for him. He can say my name a million times and call me all the names he wants."
I'm a fan of Michael Bisping, but I can't see him being favored over Rockhold, Jacare, Weidman, Romero or Mousasi.
— Bill Kelly (@PhonyBillKelly) October 11, 2016
There is a bit of a tangle at the top of the middleweight division. Weidman, at least for the moment, appears to be on the outside looking in. As Bisping indicated in his comments, Weidman has not fought since losing his belt by knockout to Rockhold in December (a rematch was canceled after Weidman fell injured).
Rockhold and Souza appear to have the inside track to a rematch, given Romero's suspension, Weidman's loss and the small fact that the two are fighting November 27 at UFC Fight Night 101.
