The bookies have made the middleweight Champ Luke Rockhold (15-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) a clear favourite against Michael Bisping (28-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) at UFC 199, on June 4. Remember Rockhold has already defeated the Brit once in his career.
During the UFC 199 media conference call, Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping took just one minute before starting to exchange bitter shouting match.
The British UFC legend will have a chance to become the UFC middleweight champion if he manages to defeat the current champ despite all odds. He only had less than two weeks to prepare for this fight. Two years ago he was overcome by Rockhold’s 2nd round guillotine choke.
During their teleconference, Bisping was immediately given the history lesson by Rockhold and added this time the fight will be even shorter. Bisping fired back at Rockhold and said: “You probably will want my purse. My purse is at least double yours.”
“I’ll be making a lot more than you on this fight,” Rockhold responded. “I’m pretty damn positive about that.”
“I don’t think so,” Bisping countered. “All right, you be positive while I’m sitting here in a five room mansion and you’re sitting there in your little (expletive) apartment.”
Rockhold continued with the war of words and included other middleweight contenders who think they can beat him if given the chance one more time.
“Going out there to shut Mike’s mouth, to shut all these guys mouths. All these guys have made excuses. Mike, Chris Weidman, Jacare, well guess what? I beat them all and I’m going to beat them all again, one at a time. They’re all going to get theirs,” Rockhold said.
“Mike’s a tough dude. He’s got balls. He took this fight but this will not be his fairytale. This will be his swan song. This will be the end of him.”
Bisping came in after Chris Weidman got injured and dropped off the card just two week before UFC 199. Rockdold believed he is not just going to defeat him but humiliate him instead.
“You will not be a champion. I will humiliate you next week. Mark my words — humiliation,” Rockhold said. “It’s going to be so one-sided, it’s going to be something special.”