What’s next for Bisping….TUF 9; Hendo or Franklin?
After Saturday night’s performance against Chris Leben at UFC 89, many are asking where it places Michael Bisping in the big picture of MMA and the middleweight weight class. While I am not a fan of Bisping’s by any stretch of the imagination, I thought he fought a very intelligent and masterful game plan. He did the very thing he HAD to do to win based on his skillset. It was perfectly executed strategy, which unfortunately for Bisping is not appreciated by the mainstream fan that wants to see blood, fighters getting Nelmarked, choked out or limbs twisted until a fighter taps. A win is a win and though not a win that should propel him towards a challenge for the belt, it certainly moves him up the ranks, regardless of what he did to get there.
The UFC has announced that ex-middleweight champ Rich Franklin will be taking on Dan Henderson at UFC 93. The winner will become a coach for TUF 9, and will be the opposing coach to Michael Bisping. TUF 9 will feature a Team U.S. vs. Team U.K. format, and as usual, at the end of the season both fighters will square off. Shooting for TUF 9 begins in January. This is a MASSIVE step up for Bisping. Based on his performance Saturday night, it’s one I believe to be premature. Bisping needs to fight some more before taking on one of these titans.
Noticeable is how much less Bisping talks about challenging Anderson Silva and how much more he has been demonstrating humility as of late, which to me says that he has given more thought to going straight at Anderson. “All people seem to be talking about is a title fight. You’ve got to earn that right for a title shot. Whenever it comes, I’ll be happy. I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Have I done it yet? I probably haven’t yet. I don’t think I have. I don’t just want to be given it because I’m from the UK. I want to earn that right.”
If he can somehow redeem himself in a dramatic stoppage win over Hendo or Franklin then he will have catapulted his was to certainly be considered to challenge for the belt. I don’t see it happening. Sure, I’ve been wrong a million times about fights. Up and down, left and right, here and there I can’t see how Bisping beats a Hendo or Franklin.
However, great fighters are made because they rise to the occasion regardless of past performances. Bisping is talented enough, passionate enough, and capable. Let’s just hope he does so in a far more dramatic fashion that Saturday night’s fight.
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October 20th, 2008 at UTC4110UTC p20080131UTC20:
[...] While I am not a fan of Bisping’s by any stretch of the imagination, I thought he fought a very intelligent and masterful game plan. He did the very thing he HAD to do to win based on his skillset. Cool article here about Bisping and a possible fight with Franklin or Hendo for TUF 9′s finale. What’s next for Bisping….TUF 9; Hendo or Franklin? | Spladdle! [...]