BOOK IT NOW!
Michael Bisping still intends to retire in London in March but an opponent has yet to be selected for the final fight of the Brit’s 14-year career.
Names like Brad Tavares and Jorge Masvidal were thrown around as potential options but, thanks to a weigh-in mishap on Saturday, one fighter has emerged as the ideal candidate against whom Bisping could bring the curtain down on an illustrious spell in the Octagon.
Uriah Hall was unable to weigh in for his scheduled middleweight clash with Vitor Belfort this weekend, as doctors informed him that it would be medically unwise to continue cutting weight to the 186lbs limit, and the fight was pulled from the UFC St. Louis card.
It was set to be Belfort’s retirement fight but the Brazilian’s swansong will have to wait and fight fans are now crying out for him to face off against the former middleweight champion in a rematch brimming with bad blood.
Belfort infamously stopped ‘The Count’ in the second round of their 2013 fight and it was a head kick in that contest which led to Bisping’s detached retina.
Speaking to the Three Amigos Podcast in 2015, Bisping said: “We all know the dangers of this sport. I mean, we’re trying to knock each other out. I’ve been left permanently disfigured, if you will, from my fight with Vitor Belfort. Vitor Belfort head kicked me and that’s what caused my detached retina. Since then, I’ve had five surgeries, and my eye is never going to look the same again.”
The narrative is perfect.
The rivals get to settle their differences in what will be the final fight for both. Bisping gets the chance to claim vengeance in his native land. And Belfort will get the opportunity to bow out by going 2-0 against one of his fiercest nemeses.
It’s almost too perfect…
At this point, Michael Bisping vs. Vitor Belfort 2 is the fight to make. Both of them in a retirement fight, old grudge to settle. Makes too much sense. https://t.co/x7362uqdoe
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) January 13, 2018
Uriah Hall out of this weekends #UFCStLouis bout against Vitor Belfort! Time to book Belfort vs Bisping for #UFCLondon
— Jon (MMAandMe) (@MMAandME) January 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/MMA_Jim/status/952226610484301825
https://twitter.com/conrickard/status/952228393692663808
Let’s get Bisping v Belfort in London then. Only silver lining here
— Luke Byron (@LukeByron) January 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/nathan_p91/status/952226523603496960
https://twitter.com/mahippalsidhu/status/952226097659183104
@bisping v Belfort in March. Make it happen! #WarTheCount
— Alan (@Coolbeastly) January 13, 2018
Belfort v @Bisping at #UFCLondon in March would make a cracking farewell fight for two MMA legends.. https://t.co/IorkVqIufA
— Gavin Wilson (@GavWilson) January 13, 2018
Vitor Belfort vs Michael Bisping is the fight to make in London. Retirement fight for both. #ufc
— Kevin Thang (@Skip2MyJays) January 13, 2018
