Michael Bisping has put his foot down.
The reigning UFC middleweight champion is threatening to walk away from the biggest payday in his storied career in the Octagon unless he gets his way.
Fans of Bisping felt he had earned the guaranteed jackpot that comes with a bout against one of the few true superstars of mixed martial arts, which the Brit got when it was announced that he would get the honour of welcoming welterweight great Georges St-Pierre back to the UFC.
St-Pierre was a draw before he vacated his 170lbs title and spent over three years away from the sport but, given the intrigue associated with how he looks upon his return, the Canadian’s star power is at an all-time high.
At the beginning of this month, UFC president Dana White took to Sportscenter to announce that, for St-Pierre’s comeback, he would receive an immediate title shot in his middleweight debut opposite Bisping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UyplGo3uDY
Traditionalists cried foul over the fact that St-Pierre leapfrogged the rightful number one contender at 185lbs, Yoel Romero, but Bisping insisted that it was an opportunity that he simply couldn’t turn down.
But he may be about to change his tune as it sounds like St-Pierre is dragging his heels on confirming a date.
Bisping has threatened to take back the title shot because, according to him, ‘Rush’ is delaying proceedings by pushing for a date in September whereas Bisping wants to fight in July.
“July 8, Las Vegas, International Fight Week is the date and the event that we are targeting,” Bisping said on his podcast, Believe You Me, as transcribed by MMA Fighting. “But Dana wouldn’t confirm the date at the press conference. But then I saw Dana a couple of weeks later when I was working at FOX and Dana said, ‘Yeah we’re still hoping for July 8.’
“Long story short, it looks like GSP is trying to push for a later date. I heard rumours of that a while ago from Ariel Helwani. I heard that they wanted September/October and that’s what the UFC told me as well. But I’m just throwing it out there right now, if he wants to wait until September or October, then he can go find himself another opponent, buddy. Because I call the shots. Without sounding like an asshole, it’s my belt. I’m the champion and I’m not willing to sit around until September or October.
“This fight was discussed in January. A fight camp only takes eight weeks or six weeks. Fighting in September or October is ridiculous. July 8 is the date. I will be a little bit flexible and maybe go past that a little bit but I want to fight at International Fight Week, July 8. So Georges St-Pierre, get it together. Stop doing your fucking gymnastics, stop doing your backflips and whatever it is and let’s do this, buddy. Come on, sign the paperwork. You want it. You sat there at the press conference. You talked big. You sounded confident so sign the God damn paperwork. It’s as simple as that.”
While this is likely no more than a tactic in trying to force St-Pierre to sign on the dotted line for International Fight Week, which is typically reserved for one of the most stacked cards of the year and therefore translates to more pay-per-view buys and more money in the pocket of Bisping who, as a champion, receives a cut of that revenue, ‘The Count’ is certainly playing hardball.
.@bisping explains how the title fight vs @GeorgesStPierre came about. #UFCTonight https://t.co/R4uV8AvpOe
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) March 2, 2017
He has claimed that he will quite happily offer Romero the title shot he was initially promised unless St-Pierre commits to an earlier date.
“If he’s not ready then I guess Yoel Romero gets his title shot. Listen, I’m not afraid of Yoel Romero. If GSP wants to fight, of course, there’s a great story there,” Bisping continued. “But, I’m not willing to sit around and he doesn’t get to call the shots. It’s my belt and I’m not some little asshole waiting in the wings for my title shot. I’ve got the belt and I want to fight. I’m in my prime. I don’t want to sit around for a year. If we don’t fight until September or October, that would be a year and I’m not willing to wait a year for Georges St-Pierre.
“He doesn’t get to call the shots. And I’m not being a baby about it, if he needs a little extra time, we’ll do that. But you can’t keep me waiting around indefinitely.”
