UFC Fight Night 48 headliner could be last chance for Michael Bisping, Cung Le

(This story appears in today’s edition of USA TODAY.)

UFC veteran middleweights Michael Bisping and Cung Le have encountered plenty of similar obstacles on a sometimes-rocky road to the top.

The opponents may not see it now, but they actually have quite a lot in common ahead of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 48 event, where they meet in a five-round main event at The Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena in Macau (6:30 a.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass).

Both are chasing UFC gold in the twilight of their careers, but injuries have forced an inactive schedule in recent years. With Bisping (24-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC), 35, and Le (9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), 42, being two of the 185-pound division’s elder statesmen, the window for a title run is closing, and they know it.

“This fight with Cung Le is all about validation,” Bisping tells USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie. “Validating my career, validating my skills and showing the world – UFC and people that support me – that I’m still a contender and I’m still hungry for that belt.”

Bisping, the Season 3 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series who first joined the UFC in 2006, knows the importance of this matchup. He put in an underwhelming performance against Tim Kennedy in April in what was his first fight after a yearlong layoff and multiple eye surgeries due to a detached retina.

“The Count” has never suffered back-to-back losses, and while the layoff and surgeries helped him rationalize the defeat to Kennedy, he says a loss to Le would force him to reconsider his current profession.

“I’ve never lost two in a row, and I don’t plan on starting now,” Bisping says. “I truly believe I’m going to go out there and give the performance of a lifetime against Cung Le. If I don’t, I need to take some time and just f—king figure out what’s going wrong.

“I’ve always been in the top 10, but being top 10 doesn’t interest me. I want to be No. 1.”

Le hasn’t fought since a November 2012 knockout of former champ Rich Franklin. The fighter, who has some of MMA’s flashiest striking skills, underwent multiple elbow surgeries since then, and he enters Saturday’s event off a 651-day layoff, the longest of his career.

The break allowed Le, who also has a burgeoning film and stunt-work career, to step back and refocus his priorities. He believes he never put 100 percent into fight preparations in the past, especially on the dietary side. But that changed for this bout.

“This is the first time I’ve ever really stuck or stayed true to my diet,” Le says. “I cut out a lot of the cheat meals that I used to have. I should have been doing this earlier. I’m a lot leaner, my energy level is up, and I’m excited to see how I perform.”

As one of the oldest fighters on the UFC roster, Le’s next fight could always be his last. He still has goals for this career. The most prominent is a world title.

For that to happen, a victory over Bisping is essential. That’s why Le didn’t cut a single corner during training camp, he says. Because, regardless of the outcome, he wants to have no regrets.

“I’ve done everything I could to win,” Le says. “For some reason if it didn’t work out for me, I can look back and know that I did everything. I’m in the best shape, I’m strong, and I’m physically and mentally prepared.”

Bisping doesn’t want to call Le an easy target, but at this point in his well-traveled career, he believes he’s the more diverse athlete. That’s ultimately why he’s confident he’ll emerge victorious.

“He’s going for the one-shot knockout, and he’s kind of predictable – a one-trick pony,” Bisping says. “A higher work rate for sure is going to be key. I’m not planning on going to the judges. I have to stop this guy.”

Le scoffs at Bisping’s boldness and says if the Englishman isn’t careful, his title aspirations will be washed away with a highlight-reel knockout loss.

“If he thinks I’m a one-trick pony, I’m going to send him on some flying lessons,” Le says. “It’ll be lightning followed by thunder.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 48, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Cung Le)