Michael Bisping’s patience is wearing thin.
UFC president Dana White revealed earlier this month that Georges St-Pierre would fight Bisping for the UFC middleweight title in his much-anticipated return to mixed martial arts. No date has been set, though, and Bisping, who’s clearly getting tired of waiting around, recently issued an ultimatum on the most recent episode of his “Believe You Me” podcast.
“July 8, Las Vegas, International Fight Week is the date and the event that we are targeting,” Bisping said, per MMAFighting.com. “But Dana wouldn’t confirm the date at the press conference. But then I saw Dana a couple of weeks later when I was working at FOX and Dana said, ‘Yeah we’re still hoping for July 8.’
“Long story short, it looks like GSP is trying to push for a later date. I heard rumors of that a while ago from Ariel Helwani. I heard that they wanted September/October and that’s what the UFC told me as well. But I’m just throwing it out there right now, if he wants to wait until September or October, then he can go find himself another opponent, buddy. Because I call the shots. Without sounding like an (a–hole), it’s my belt. I’m the champion and I’m not willing to sit around until September or October.”
St-Pierre, a former UFC welterweight champion, is considered one of the best fighters in MMA history, but he hasn’t fought since defeating Johny Hendricks in a controversial split-decision win at UFC 167 back in 2013. Some even have questioned whether GSP should receive a title shot against Bisping before No. 1 ranked UFC middleweight Yoel Romero, who’s coming off a victory over Chris Weidman at UFC 205 in November.
That said, it’s a business, and a fight between St-Pierre and Bisping figures to draw well, especially with GSP coming out of retirement after roughly four years away from the octagon. Thus, the question is whether the combatants can agree on a date and sign a contract. If not, Bisping sounds prepared to focus his attention elsewhere.
“This fight was discussed in January. A fight camp only takes eight weeks or six weeks. Fighting in September or October is ridiculous. July 8 is the date,” Bisping said, per MMAFighting.com “I will be a little bit flexible and maybe go past that a little bit, but I want to fight at International Fight Week, July 8.
“So Georges St-Pierre, get it together. Stop doing your (f——) gymnastics, stop doing your backflips and whatever it is and let’s do this, buddy. Come on, sign the paperwork. You want it. You sat there at the press conference. You talked big. You sounded confident so sign the God damn paperwork. It’s as simple as that.”
For now, the waiting game continues.
Thumbnail photo via Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports Images
