Michael Bisping is a popular person at present.

It seems like there isn’t a single middleweight in the UFC who doesn’t want to be matched with the British standout. Alan Belcher has been calling him out for a long time and has intensified that of late, while Brian Stann and now Chris Weidman also have their eye on him.

Fighters Only spoke to Bisping today as he travelled to a training session near his California home. We asked about his new found popularity…


FO: So, nice to be popular with all your colleagues? Stann, Belcher and Weidman have all called you out lately.

Yeah it seems like I am the man of the moment right now doesn’t it? That’s fine by me, I’m a professional fighter and I’ve not been busy enough lately to be honest so, I will happily fight all three of them - Stann, Weidman and Belcher can all have it. I’ve got no problem fighting and beating all three of them, either on three consecutive cards or all on one night if they want.


FO: Break it down for us - if you had a pick of one of them, who would you face and why?

“Listen, Belcher’s getting on my nerves. He keeps saying he has got the style to beat me - what style? No man with a tattoo like that can talk to anyone about style! He’s been calling me out for a while now so I’d say to him, when you beat someone other than a pure jiu jitsu guy then call me. Brian Stann I respect, fine, I think we are on collision course and we can have that fight. I’ll win.

“And now Chris Weidman is calling me out. Well, he’s on a roll but I don’t think a win over a fat Mark Munoz makes you a contender. Especially when Munoz has bounced into the Octagon like he’s at a Take That concert and with a haircut that looks like Belcher’s tattooist has switched careers. Did that distract him? It distracted me. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. What was it supposed to be, do you know?

“Everyone’s talking about Weidman today but I tell you what, we were on the same card in January and I had to switch his fight with Maia off. I was trying to warm up backstage and the fight was putting me to sleep. I wanted to get hyped up and it was like watching paint dry. He looked good last night - or did Munoz look awful?

“They all seem like nice guys, good luck to them - except Belcher, he’s been getting on my nerves so lets not include him [in the good luck wishes] - but I will happily fight them all, no problem. I want to be the champion and I think I am one more win away from a title shot. And any of these guys can be my first defences.”

FO: Speaking of titles, Anderson defended his at the weekend in the big rematch with Sonnen. What did you think of the fight?

Chael looked amazing in round one, then maybe he got overconfident. He went back to his corner they said ‘you’re amazing, its going amazing,’ then round two things deviated from the plan. Things went a bit ‘Dancing With The Stars’ when that backfist came out.

“What was all that about? I had to check what channel I was watching. Anyway, then he had a sit down and then that was it, Anderson was on him. Anderson capitalised and took him out in style, as per usual. Good finish.”