As someone who has been on the roster for a decade, Michael Bisping simply does not understand how fighters approach certain aspects of the sport in modern times. According to the Briton, there was once a time when fighters would enter the Octagon with a slew of injuries and still silently compete and look for the victory. However, he now claims that fighters are no longer interested in competing if they have the slightest injury nag. While it may be better for their personal brand, Bisping does not appreciate that approach.
“Listen, of course I’m a competitor,” Bisping said on The MMA Hour. “I want to win each and every fight that I’m a part of. But when it’s said and done, when the referee stops the fight, you have to congratulate your opponent and you take it like a man.
“So it was unfortunate, as I’ve said, but I continued to fight. I’m a warrior. Chris Weidman pulled out with a bad rib. T.J. Dillashaw pulled out with a bad rib. I’ve been getting treatment on a bad rib for the last two weeks. Did the thought of ever pulling out of this fight ever cross my mind? Not once. Not once.”
Bisping recalled his fight against Luke Rockhold, which he believes he was winning until the clash of heads. Although Bisping believes he was purposely headbutt by Rockhold but that did not stop him for continuing the fight.
“I mean, for some reason, I’ve fought so long in the UFC now — I’ve been a part of that roster for 10 years — but not all of the time do I perform to the best of my ability,” Bisping said. “The last fight against Rockhold, I wouldn’t say that was one of those fights. I actually think I won the first round. We clashed heads. He headbutted me, I think would be a more accurate description. It split my eye wide open, there was blood pouring into my eye, and after that all I could see was a lot of red going right into my eyes.
“He caught me with a head kick while I was trying to wipe blood out of my eyes — it’s one of those things, that’s how it goes in the fight game. So well done for him. But that was just unfortunate circumstances. This fight, I’ve got to prove to the world that I’m still one of the best and I’m as good as I think I am, I’m as good as my coaches think I am, and I’ve got to take what I do in the gym and bring that into the Octagon on fight night.”
Bisping proudly wears his injuries like badges of honour when he steps into the cage. Whether that is a wise decision is debatable but Bisping doubts he will be able to change that this late in his professional career.
“I don’t pull out of fights and I don’t puss out when somebody headbutts me. That’s just the way I am, for good or bad, rightly or wrongly. That’s just the way I am.”
Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.
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