Bisping to drop to 185

[Vanilla Gorilla]

acording to UFC.COM

With Eastman, potentially Vitor, and now Bisping droping down to 185, this could open up some new possiblities in this dominated division.....well maybe Bisping and Vitor...not so much Eastman.

12/14/2007
Count?s move gives middleweights new blood

By Ant Evans

Considering the UFC?s middleweight category is ruled by the iron fists ? not to mention knees ? of arguably


UFC Black New Era Hat




the world?s greatest fighter in Anderson Silva, you wouldn?t think too many mixed martial artists would be queuing up to enter the 185 pound division in 2008.

However, just weeks after the announcement that Dan Henderson will be returning to what many feel is his ideal fighting weight, light heavyweight contender Michael ?The Count? Bisping continues the injection of new blood into the middleweight ranks.

The drop down has been a long time coming for the British striker. While other top light heavyweights walk around at over 230 pounds when not in training camp, Bisping, one month and many hearty meals removed from fighting at UFC 78 in New Jersey, weighs only 211 pounds.

?Even though I?ve never fought at middleweight, I?ve gone back and forth with the decision to go down pretty much my whole career,? Bisping said. ?Even from my very first pro fight (April 2004), people were telling me that I was a little too small for the light heavies. But I kept winning and, at least before I stepped up to the UFC, I was winning easily so I didn?t really take much notice.?

However, as the British striker moved through ?The Ultimate Fighter? proving ground and eventually all the way to main eventing UFC 78 in November, the question of middleweight kept cropping up.

Bisping said: ?I?ve not trained in a month and right now I weigh 211 pounds. Actually, even as far back as the TUF 3 try-outs in London (in December 2005), Dana White looked at me and asked me if I was sure I wanted to try-out for the light heavies rather than the middleweights. Then I was asked the same question again when I was invited to Las Vegas to do the interview to get on the show. I?ve been asked about middleweight loads of times, by not just writers, but also other fighters, so I started thinking about it more seriously this year.?

Admitting he was changing his mind ?every couple of minutes,? Bisping floated the idea of moving down with the UFC President when they were both in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for UFC 72 in June.

Bisping said: ?Dana thought it was a great idea, he said I?d be ?a monster? down at middleweight. In fact all sorts of people like Rampage (with whom Bisping is close) were telling me this was the best thing for my career. Really, I knew middleweight was the place to be. When I went to train with Rampage in America over the summer, when we?d go eat he?d have half a lettuce leaf; I?d have a pizza or a couple of foot-long Subways and a couple of sneaky cookies.

?Even though I train as hard, if not harder, than anyone else for a fight, I wasn?t making sacrifices like other fighters do. I?ve had world class nutritionists like (boxer) Ricky Hatton?s strength coach Kerry Kayes tell me I could be so much stronger at middleweight, so I was getting this same advise from all sides.?

Going into the Rashad Evans fight at UFC 78, Bisping went on record saying that he would move to middleweight should he lose. But although he lost a controversial split decision, Bisping still thought very long and hard about making the call.

?I didn?t feel like I lost anything in defeat,? Bisping said. ?I felt I performed very well against one of the best wrestlers in the UFC in Rashad. I regret not pushing it a little harder in the last round but, overall, I can?t complain about a controversial loss because I was coming off a controversial win. My performance again made me go back and forth about going to middleweight but, in the end, this is my career and how I make a living, and although it isn?t that I can?t hack it at 205 pounds, it doesn?t make sense to give every opponent an advantage when I don?t have to.?

There seems to be a consensus among MMA fans, at least those who post on forums, that Bisping is better suited to the smaller division.

It is probably no coincidence that the Briton?s weakest round against both Matt Hamill and Rashad Evans were the first, when his opponent?s advantages in strength would be the most telling. With hindsight, it appears that their natural size and strength gave Bisping problems early on and before the Count?s cardio came into play later on.

Bisping concurs, added: ?At middleweight, I will be just as strong if not stronger than my opponent and, without carrying this extra 20 pounds, I will be fitter than I am at light heavyweight. I just think the time is right to move down.?

So Bisping made the call the UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and, three weeks later, is happy he did.

?At this level in the UFC, every little edge you can give yourself is so important and here I was starting fights at a physical disadvantage, strength and size wise. Even if it gives me an extra 3%, that can make all the difference in certain fights. There are some great matches for me at middleweight and I am looking forward to maybe being the bigger man in the Octagon for a change.?

Bisping expects his UFC debut to come in early spring.

?I?m a little nervous about it, of course I am,? the Count said. ?I know I can make 185 pounds if I dieted like every other fighter, but at the same time I?ve never asked my body to do it.

?I weighed 197 pounds for my second fight with Mark Epstein three years ago but that?s the lightest I?ve fought at. I know 185 pounds is the weight I should be at, and I am actually looking forward to the extra challenge of making weight, but I want to apologise right now because I now I am going to be one moody SOB come fight week!?

[Z A C H E R]

http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31099

[K++s]

While it adds some interest in the division, I don't think Anderson is going to be threatened by Bisping...

[Bird]

Its about time

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Originally Posted by K++s

While it adds some interest in the division, I don't think Anderson is going to be threatened by Bisping...

Neither do I. But this at least add's to the mix. Who does Silva fight after Hendo?

[Bishop]

Vitor's part of Anderson's camp, right?

[eMpEr0r]

Originally Posted by Vanilla Gorilla

Neither do I. But this at least add's to the mix. Who does Silva fight after Hendo?

His dentist and his physical therapist.

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I mean I know there's Martin Kampmann, then Thales Leites, then Okami, and MacDonald I guess too, but this at least mixes it up. Kampmann has already disposed of Leites, and won I think 2 or 3 after that. Okami lost to Rich, but he's already beaten Silva (by vicious DQ upkick, if you haven't seen it yet, check it out on youtube.) and MacDonald has lost to both Okami and Franklin....

[eMpEr0r]

I dont see Bisping or Vitor amounting to shite at MW, really.

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Bishop

Vitor's part of Anderson's camp, right?

I don't know. I know they're friends, but that's all I can confirm. It doesn't mention it in that article I posted about Vitor wanting to come back to the UFC.

[Bishop]

Originally Posted by Vanilla Gorilla

I don't know. I know they're friends, but that's all I can confirm. It doesn't mention it in that article I posted about Vitor wanting to come back to the UFC.

WEC?

If he goes there, and is buddy buddy with Anderson and affiliated with Blackhouse, that screws any title hopes up until Filho's performances finally catch up to him

Bisping, the topic at hand....it seems like the MW division is 80% strikers, so it'd be a good addition to the division. I feel sorry for Hamill who will not get a title shot

Bisping vs. Leben or Quarry please

[Z A C H E R]

Bisping is fighting Charles Mcarthy.

and yes vitor is part of Black House.

Bisping is definitely not a powerful striker at LHW.

Maybe he can show some more pop at MW.

If his cardio holds up, he'll give people hell.

[eMpEr0r]

Originally Posted by Skinnyboy

Bisping is definitely not a powerful striker at LHW.

Maybe he can show some more pop at MW.

If his cardio holds up, he'll give people hell.

Nah.

[Bishop]

Kampmann vs. Bisping would be a pretty nice fight to see. McFedries power is too much, Leben's chin is too great, Quarry's gun-jack punching style will be hell, MacDonald's jitz is far better, Okami would pillow fist him to death, Franklin would pick him apart from all angles, etc etc

Originally Posted by Bishop

Kampmann vs. Bisping would be a pretty nice fight to see. McFedries power is too much, Leben's chin is too great, Quarry's gun-jack punching style will be hell, MacDonald's jitz is far better, Okami would pillow fist him to death, Franklin would pick him apart from all angles, etc etc

Aw damn

Just give me a minute...

Seriously man, Bisping is going to move down and suddenly he ain't nothing?

Youz whack, jack.

Originally Posted by eMpEr0r

Nah.

(contemplates next move...)

Yeah.


I mean wait...!

Aw shit, I already moved...

[Bishop]

Originally Posted by Skinnyboy

Aw damn

Just give me a minute...

Seriously man, Bisping is going to move down and suddenly he ain't nothing?

Youz whack, jack.

no, there's alot of guys he can beat down at MW, but the ones listed would most likely put losses on his rec

[ilostmydog]

Originally Posted by Bishop

Vitor's part of Anderson's camp, right?

Vitor left Black House in early November IIRC.

[Z A C H E R]

Originally Posted by ilostmydog

Vitor left Black House in early November IIRC.

damn what else is left for him.