Michael Bisping is ready to throw down at UFC 206 and he claims he has an opponent lined up.
The UFC middleweight champion insists he has a verbal agreement to fight Canadian favourite, and MMA legend, Georges St-Pierre at UFC 206 at Toronto’s Rogers Arena.
@GeorgesStPierre, we all want more money. But let's go,sign the papers.Give the people of Toronto what they want, be a hero! Let's go champ!
— michael (@bisping) October 26, 2016
Bisping, who is fresh from a victorious five-rounder over Dan Henderson at UFC 204, is dismissing St-Pierre’s legal wrangles with the promotion and wants ‘Rush’ to give his legions of fans the fight they want.
When it was put to him about signing the fight papers, Bisping said he had done his part and was ready to scrawl his signature on some contracts.
I verbally agreed
— michael (@bisping) October 26, 2016
All of this comes at a time when GSP is claiming to be a free agent because the UFC did not offer a fight in time. He was initially offered a tilt with Robbie Lawler but turned it down off the back of Lawler getting injured. This is a reason Lawler has since strongly dismissed.
Bisping says the fight negotiations have been ongoing for the last few days but there is one well placed source who disagrees. This comes via ESPN’s Brett Okamoto:
Text from @danawhite: There is no Bisping vs. GSP fight in Toronto. I know Mike wants it, but it's not happening.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 26, 2016
Again, though, we must point out that the UFC president has already told reporters that Brock Lesnar would not be coming back, that Anderson Silva would not be fighting Daniel Cormier at UFC 200 and that Conor McGregor would not be taking on Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
At present, UFC 206 has a co-main event – Cormier defending his UFC light heavyweight belt against Anthony Johnson – but the headliner to the Toronto show has yet to be slated in.