When an injured Chris Weidman suddenly dropped out of his rematch with middleweight champion Luke Rockhold two weeks ago, the promotion needed a replacement contender for the main event of UFC 199 at the Forum on Saturday night. Still, taking this fight with just 17 days notice, no one thought the Brit had any chance.
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‘Luke (Rockhold) says that he’s on a different level than everybody else and he’s by far the best fighter and he can destroy anybody and this, that and the other, ‘ Bisping said.
However, despite commanding the early exchanges, landing several trademark sharp left kicks to the body, Rockhold left himself wide open and the Clitheroe man took full advantage to be crowned the new 185lbs king. “Give your respect, don’t be a smug dick about it”, Rockhold said.
He then cursed (“Shit, I shouldn’t have said that”) and asked journalists to “delete that comment”. Bisping had a strong 18-7 record in the UFC but he had taken losses in the past that kept him from a title shot. I’m actually left handed and have more power with my left hand, but I stand orthodox when I fight.
He returned to Orange County for some quick training and embraced the underdog’s role.
“Obviously, I’m so happy right now”, he said in his post-fight interview.
Rockhold was resigned to hand over praise.
In fact, Bisping was on set in Toronto, playing a bad guy opposite Vin Diesel in the latest chapter of the “xXx” extreme-sports action hero franchise, when Rockhold agreed to make his first title defense against him. The middleweight title isn’t the only strap on the line, with bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz also a big favourite (1/5) in his trilogy match against Urijah Faber.
Faber weighed in first and came in at 134.5 whilst Cruz was 135 on the button.
“I feel so good to be able to compete again”, Cruz said.
“I am an average guy”.
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I thought to myself, “this is the worst troll job imaginable”. The champion got up, only to get floored again nearly immediately by another Bisping left. A follow-up Cruz jab was clean and head-rocking. I’ve had my ups and downs along the way and I understand why people didn’t believe in me, because I lost some key fights. “The game plan was to bring the pressure”. “I just didn’t see it happening. Tonight, I was not on top”.
