UFC’s Michael Bisping still targeting March return, Tim Kennedy says he’ll wait for him

Doctors continue to check on Michael Bisping’s eye every two days as he heals from a detached retina that scratched his October fight against Mark Munoz.

Bisping told MMAjunkie Radio he expects to be able to fight again in March 2014 if the process goes smoothly. When he does, he said he’s willing to fight Tim Kennedy.

This past week, Bisping told “Inside MMA” that the recently victorious middleweight only needed to call the UFC to set up the bout.

“Call the UFC if you’re man enough and let’s get it on,” he said.

Apparently, Kennedy (17-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) already has picked up the phone. Via text, he today told MMAjunkie he’ll fight Bisping (24-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) in April, “unless he proves to be the chicken I know he is.”

“He’s been in the UFC for eight years?” Kennedy told “Inside MMA.” “I’ve been in the UFC for six months, and I’m in the same position that he is. It took him eight years to get where I am, so maybe I’m going hang back and be like, ‘Man, I don’t know who that guy is. Go get a couple of wins and then come and talk to me, Bisping.’”

Kennedy also called Bisping a dirty fighter, citing the Brit’s infamous fight with Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 where he landed an illegal knee and then spat at Rivera’s corner following a TKO victory.

For Bisping, who was replaced by Lyoto Machida when he withdrew from UFC Fight Night 30, a return can’t come soon enough. He recently asked doctors for a firm timeline as to when he would be able to train and fight. He is able to do conditioning drills, but not spar or grapple.

As he previously told MMAjunkie, he suffered a detached retina prior to bouts with Vitor Belfort and Alan Belcher.

“I’ve been involved in professional combat sports one way or the other since I was 12 or 13 years old, so I’ve been pretty lucky with injuries,” he said. “If you play these games for long enough, eventually something’s going to give. I haven’t had reconstructive surgery on my knees or something like that. It’s unfortunate.

“It’s healing nicely. I will be back, it’s just going to take a little time.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Michael Bisping)