Michael Bisping Gets Green Light to Start Training, Intends to Fight in March or April

A recurring eye injury – a detached retina – kept Michael Bisping out of his scheduled fight against Mark Munoz at UFC Fight Night 30 on his home turf in Manchester, England, in October. It won’t keep him out of action for much longer.

“I was at the doctor’s this morning. They gave me the green light to start proper training again. I’ve been running and lifting weights for a while. Now I can get back in the MMA gym,” Bisping told UFC Tonight on Wednesday.

“He actually said ‘call the UFC and book a fight; you’re definitely going to be able to fight around March or April of next year.’”

That could potentially put him back in the Octagon in time for its March 8 event in London. That event already has a headliner in Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jimi Manuwa. So it is more likely that Bisping won’t be back on his home turf, or in the Octagon, quite that soon.

While on UFC Tonight, Bisping also discussed possible opponents upon his return.

One name swirling around Bisping is Tim Kennedy, who has been pressing for a fight with “the Count.”

“I’ve never turned down an opponent once. I’m certainly not going to start with Tim Kennedy,” said Bisping. “If that’s who the UFC want me to fight, I’ll happily fight him.”

Kennedy isn’t high on Bisping hit list though.

“Myself personally, I’d like someone a little higher up the ladder, someone in the Top 5 maybe,” he continued.

“You’ve mentioned Machida. You’ve mentioned Jacare. Either one of those guys would be awesome.

“Who do I want to fight? I want to fight the guy with the belt. I want to fight Weidman. That ain’t gonna happen anytime soon, I assume.”