Michael Bisping thinks “destiny” has handed him the chance to become the UFC middleweight champion as he gears up to face Luke Rockhold on June 4 at UFC 199.
An injury to Chris Weidman left the main event of the show without a challenger, paving the way for Bisping to step in. He’d be the first fighter from the United Kingdom to win a title in the promotion should he triumph; it’ll be the first time the 37-year-old has even had the chance to compete for the belt.
And the man himself revealed that he thinks a victory in this fight is written in the stars, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo:
Speed, fight IQ, that’s what I bring to the table. I believe this is my destiny. Since I was a little [expletive], 9 or 10 years old, I’ve been a fighter all my life. … This has been my life and this is what I do. I’m not turning up for a payday. I want this and I believe I will beat this guy. I deserve it. And I know you have to have more than that, but I do. I do have more. And everyone will see that soon enough.
Few will deny the Manchester man deserves this, especially with Jacare Souza also struggling with his fitness after his recent win over Vitor Belfort at UFC 198. Only the great Georges St-Pierre, with 19 victories, has won more bouts in the UFC than Bisping, who has 18 triumphs and seven losses to his name.
As ESPN's Brett Okamato noted, it’s been a long time coming for the Englishman after almost a decade of involvement in the UFC:
Bisping will receive his first title shot at UFC 199 on June 4, 20 days shy of the 10-year mark of him winning TUF. pic.twitter.com/33jHAeWRJu
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 18, 2016
Winning the belt won't be easy, though, as Rockhold is a gifted fighter. The Californian has beaten Bisping before after all, via submission in November 2014, and also produced a brilliant performance to win the title against Weidman at UFC 194.
Bisping admitted there are certainly merits to the way the 31-year-old goes about his business in the Octagon but feels there are areas in which he definitely has an edge:
He is a great fighter, of course he is. And he’s a great athlete. He’s got great striking and good accuracy. He’s very, very good on the floor. He’s very creative, as well. Add to that he’s tall, he’s got a lot of reach and he’s got a lot of confidence.
I’m not going into this underestimating anybody. I never have in the past. But, I am faster than this guy. I’m smarter than he is. And I have a better fight IQ.
The catapult to this chance for Bisping was his win over the legendary Anderson Silva back in February. The iconic Brazilian is past his absolute best due to age and injury problems. but Bisping was the dominant force in the fight, eventually coming out on top on all three of the judges’ scorecards.
Evidently, it was an important moment for the Brit.
“Listen, I know what my critics say about me and I knew that going into the Anderson Silva fight,” he said, per Iole. “That’s why that fight was so big for me. I didn’t want to get a reputation as the guy who was a decent fighter but always lost the big one.”
Indeed, it’s a win that helped enhance Bisping’s reputation at the elite level, and MMA Junkie’s Chamatkar Sandhu is backing the Mancunian to make things fascinating in the build-up to this contest:
What a career & this is what he's been working towards for so long. It's short notice sure but Michael Bisping is finally getting his shot.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) May 18, 2016
Anyone not into Rockhold vs Bisping right now, trust me by the weigh ins in 2.5 weeks Bisping is going to have you pumped to see this fight.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) May 18, 2016
Bisping will be thankful for this opportunity and the manner in which it’s come about and will feel a sense of determination as he prepares for the biggest night of his UFC career. But it’s evident from these quotes that there is no way he’ll be taking Rockhold lightly, especially having been beaten so emphatically when they last squared off.
The champion is on a roll at the moment, with another outstanding performance against Lyoto Machida sandwiched between the wins over Bisping and Weidman. As one of the most balanced and adaptable competitors in the history of the UFC, you can guarantee Rockhold will be ready for the challenge to come.
