This escalated quickly.
Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping have only two weeks to promote their UFC 199 title fight.
Going by their foul-mouthed appearance on UFC Tonight, last night, that should not be a problem.
37-year-old Bisping is finally getting a crack at UFC gold after Chris Weidman’s neck injury ruled him out of his much-anticipated rematch with Rockhold.
That's quite a drop https://t.co/rEzjSlMtBi
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOE_UK) May 20, 2016
Rockhold and Bisping featured in a joint video interview on the show. The Californian began by teasing Bisping about his retirement to Hollywood [he will star in the new xXx movie] before paying him dues for ‘being man enough to step up’.
Bisping jumped straight in with both feet. He claimed he dominated Rockhold in sparring sessions but gave him credit for beating him when they fought at UFC Fight Night 55, in Sydney.
The English fighter continued to trash-talk Rockhold until the champion took the bait:
“[Being champ] is your destiny huh? It’s your destiny to be my bitch.”
Bisping fired back a torrent.
“You’ve got nothing going on between your ears buddy… You’re the guy who’s supposed to be the big swinging d*ck but you’ve got nothing going on.”
Bisping was then bleeped out repeatedly but ‘weak as piss’ and ‘kiss my arse’ slipped through the net.
Rockhold on Bisping’s title aspirations: It’s your destiny, huh? It’s your destiny to be my little b****. #UFC199https://t.co/k5YkBnaE3d
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) May 19, 2016
Rockhold had enough and removed his ear-piece, promptly ending the back-and-forth.
The pair will, no doubt, take a few more runs at each other before their June 4 bout in California.