Michael Bisping has had fifteen fights for the UFC since winning The Ultimate Fighter Season Three.

Of those, he has only lost three - a split-decision to Rashad Evans, a Dan Henderson knockout and a decision to Wanderlei Silva. The latter loss, his most recent, was followed by a four-fight win streak.

Tomorrow night he faces Chael Sonnen in a contender elimination bout. The winner gets the next shot at the middleweight title held by Anderson Silva. On the eve of battle, Bisping tells Fighters Only that he looks back to his early days all the time, and it helps motivate him ahead of what is the biggest fight of his career.

FO: The fight is almost on us. Its been a long time coming but you’re finally within touching distance of the title shot you have wanted for so long. What are your thoughts?

I’m thinking thank you UFC. Well, not thank you UFC [as such] because I’ve done the hard work but thank you for the opportunity. Its been a long road and im here and I have to fight Chael Sonnen on Saturday. Everyone is talking about the title fight, this and that, facing Anderson Silva - I am not. I’m thinking about Chael Sonnen, the fight I have got to win.

He is a tough opponent and an incredibly talented wrestler. I would be a fool to look past him, all my focus is on Chael Sonnen.


FO: Do you reflect at all on the path that has brought you here, and how far you have come from the days of fighting in front of audiences at small UK shows like CageWarriors?

There is not a day goes by where I don’t… You know, I have to pinch myself sometimes that I have been as successful as I have been. Its crazy that I am sat here with all these cameras in my face, its still somewhat surreal to me.

I think back to the early days and how far I have come, all the hard work and sacrifice. That’s what has me keep on striving and training, because I have worked so hard and I have seen the rewards. It keeps me hungry and motivated.


FO: You are a striker first and foremost and you were throwing a lot of kicks in the padwork sessions we watched. But presumably that was more for workout reasons than specific practice for this fight, I can’t imagine you will be taking your foot off the floor much?

No that was just… well, you never know. If the opportunity to throw a kick is there I will take the opportunity. I train all areas of course, I’ve worked hard, ive got good kicks. I am not going to throw them flippantly, I am not going to throw them with blatant disregard [for Sonnen’s wrestling], I would be a fool to do that.


FO: You’re constantly getting asked about your jiu jitsu ahead of this fight, because its probably going to be key seeing as you’re almost definitely going to end up on your back at some point…

Yeah I am under no illusions, I am probably gonna end up on my back at some point. ’ been working hard on my jiu jitsu, I have got great submissions, I know I have. I have rolled with black belts for along time, I have fought many black belts.

But even when I am training when I get on top I like to pound, but don’t for one minute think I cant submit people. I can. Obviously doing it on the night is a different thing but yeah, Chael is susceptible to a submission. I will look for that, for ten, fifteen or thirty seconds. After that I am getting back to my feet and starting again.

FO: Sonnen is one of the biggest names on the UFC roster right now, an amazing turnaround from a few years ago when he was almost in danger of becoming a journeyman. Is his stature in the sport these days down to his skill as a fighter or his skill as a publicist?

Well its a bit of both. To be honest he deserves his profile right now. Not only is he an incredible fighter, he sells his fights well, he is a polarising figure, he talks well, he is funny, he is serious… I am a fan to be honest. That said, I will be trying to kill him on Saturday night.

With Anderson Silva… he almost had that fight in the bag, he just beat Brian Stann very dominantly and he is a marketing dream so yeah, he deserves his profile.