Bisping Moves To Middleweight

Dakstang · 12-15-2007, 02:12 PM

This comes from ufc.com

Count’s move gives middleweights new blood

Considering the UFC’s middleweight category is ruled by the iron fists – not to mention knees 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!”
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Pretty interesting move. I don't think he will be able to compete with the likes of Silva, and Henderson though.

He couldn't compete with Rampage either though so...

Zar · 12-15-2007, 02:31 PM

I think it makes a lot of sense. And while Anderson would dismantle him there are a ton of great fights for him at that weight.

Dakstang · 12-15-2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zar333

I think it makes a lot of sense. And while Anderson would dismantle him there are a ton of great fights for him at that weight.

That is true.

But some people may think he is running from another match with Matt Hammill.

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Bisping Moves To Middleweight

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