Morning Report: Michael Bisping ‘probably retired’ but says if Nick Diaz met him at 195 pounds he’s ‘down’ for fight
We may have seen the last of Michael Bisping.
While Brad Tavares is set on being Bisping’s retirement fight, it appears that the future UFC Hall of Famer has other ideas. On the most recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping addressed rumors of a potential fight between him and Nick Diaz as Bisping’s final bout, saying they are completely untrue and that he is “probably retired” anyway, he just hasn’t officially said it.
“No, I’m not fighting Nick Diaz at all,” said Bisping. “It’s total bulls**t. I haven’t spoken to the UFC about anything. They haven’t come to me. I’m probably retired, I just haven’t made it official.
“It’s bulls**t. I haven’t heard a single thing. The UFC haven’t reached out, management haven’t reached out, no one has said anything. As I said, I haven’t made my mind up completely but I’m very, very close to retirement.”
Bisping last fought in November when he stepped in on short notice against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai, losing by first-round KO. Afterwards he suggested that he’d like to fight one more time before hanging up the gloves, preferably when the UFC returned to London. A bout on that card never materialized though and now Bipsing says unless something that piques his interest comes along soon, he is likely done with his career.
“I’m probably retired,” said Bisping. “I know I’m driving everyone crazy with this. Certainly reporters ask me all the time but I don’t know. If something comes along, great but I need to make my mind up and make that official and move on with the rest of my life or get a fight. I was supposed to fight in London, it never happened. Book me a fight and let’s go. If not, f**k it, let’s move on.“
A Diaz fight, it appears, is one that would interest Bisping though. The former middleweight champion says that he has a lot of respect for the Stockton product and would be willing to forego retirement for a bout with Diaz, with one caveat.
“Here’s the thing, Nick Diaz is one of the legends of the sport,” said Bisping. “The guy is one of the original, old-school fighters and what I like about Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz [is that] they’re real fighters. They are real fighters and they come to fight every time. They’re always entertaining and they say a lot of controversial s**t but they’re real fighters. They’re not trying to pretend to be something. They don’t do MMA because they think it’s cool. They’re not jumping on the bandwagon. It’s who they are. They are f**king fighters, they’ll throw down at a moment’s notice, in the octagon or on the street. They are fighters, simple as that and that’s what I respect about them.
“Nick Diaz is someone that I definitely respect and if there was a possibility of that fight, then for sure I would accept it. People would want to see that. The only issue is that if I do fight [again] I want it at 205 [pounds] and I don’t think Nick would do 205. Making 185 for the last 10 years has been so hard. Making 185 is not an easy task, not an easy task at all, so if I’m going to fight one more time, it’s gonna be at light heavyweight. Or I’d do a catchweight, maybe at 195 or whatever but making 185 for me is too hard. So if Nick would be willing to come up, I’ll do it. I’ll accept. I’m down. I’m in. Sign me up.”
Diaz has not fought since a No Contest against Anderson Silva at UFC 183, a bout he lost but was then overturned after Silva failed a drug test fot drostanolone and Diaz tested positive for marijuana. He recently was cleared to return to competition after a resolving an issue with USADA over a whereabouts violation last year, though he has made no suggestion that he intends to return to fighting. If Diaz does want to come back though, Bisping officially extended the invitation to be the one to greet him.
“Nick Diaz, if you’re listening and you want to fight again, give me a shout, pal, because I’m down. If you’re willing eat some food and put some pounds on, then let’s do this my brother.
MUST-READ STORIES
TUF. Check out the results from the most recent episode of The Ultimate Fighter 27.
Help. UFC holding Ultimate Fighter casting call for women’s featherweight and men’s heavyweight divisions.
Signed. Nick Newell gets Contender Series nod from Dana White, now one step from UFC.
Legit. Eddie Alvarez questions legitimacy of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s UFC lightweight title.
Fight. Brad Tavares gunning for Michael Bisping next, doesn’t think Israel Adesanya ‘deserves’ fight with him.
VIDEO STEW
Always watch BJJ Scout.
Looking at the 10 biggest UFC PPVs.
TJ still salty about the DJ fight.
Jessica-Rose Clark interview.
Possibly his best work,
Alan Jouban has a series of videos for total beginners for any who are interested.
LISTEN UP
Heavy Hands. Discussing the ascension of Kevin Lee and the Dvalishvili controversy.
Fights Gone By. Jack Slack discusses Atlantic City and Bellator’s possible death rattle.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Tony very upset that people are questioning whether a 34 year old coming off knee surgery will be the same fighter he was beforehand.
@MoTownPhenom U Can Only Hope & Wish I Won’t Ever Be The Same. Make No Mistake, I Learn From Everything. Keep Practicing Running Your Mouth. That For Sure Gets You Mat Victories. Young & Dumb. Without Out Adversity There Is No Progress. -Champ #CantKeepABrownManDown
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) April 25, 2018
Congrats.
Wasn't going to say anything about even meeting @danawhite but what I will say is that he was all class. Really hoping him & @AliAbdelaziz00 can get this deal done. I've sacrificed so much over the past 17 years to become the fighter I am but the last chapter still isn't written. https://t.co/XuPlwI3gsp
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) April 25, 2018
Call outs.
I’ve always been a fan of the #Francobrothers and it would be an honor to step in the cage with you @FuryJury #ufc226 looks good...let’s make it happen? pic.twitter.com/PXCqbkLhfk
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) April 26, 2018
I’m free in August Renato https://t.co/cXoU3y72NU
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) April 26, 2018
Take anything Ali says with a huge heaping helping of salt but just fyi.
A lot of media reached out to me about @zabit_mma fighting @panteraufc the fight was offered we accepted. Yair is a nice young man I have no issues with him but he wants nothing to do with Zabit. Like 99% of the division but this is the ufc job to match him not mine
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) April 25, 2018
Glad to hear it.
Thank you to everyone for their positive thoughts and prayers during this time and much thank you to the Children’s hospital of Colorado and all of their staff. Anthony’s surgery was a success. pic.twitter.com/vOMyel78Sg
— Ray Borg (@tazmexufc) April 25, 2018
Cool accomplishment.
Your 2018 US Mens National Champion at 70kgs @USAWrestling pic.twitter.com/qqyHNABwUs
— Anthony Birchak (@abirchakMMA) April 25, 2018
Good picture.
#UFC226 Damage. pic.twitter.com/rwAxw5pH8y
— Gökhan Saki (@gokhantherebel) April 25, 2018
Throwback.
Look what @allelbows just sent me! Wow this is amazing, circa 2009 San Diego @kingmofh training camp. Just a pudgy kid from Louisiana with no idea of what was to come. #theoriginals @bunchthegreat #moneystance #gdp #teamthirsty pic.twitter.com/0cuK4PHIEe
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) April 25, 2018
The event of the year is tonight, don’t forget.
228lbs Tomorrow night I take out former #UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriquez live on @itsCamsoda at @sway_nightclub shout-out to all my fans and sponsors. #ufc #mma #violence #sex #spartan #king #war #ko pic.twitter.com/flWvGTNT8o
— AlexSpartanNicholson (@spartanlife32) April 25, 2018
Friends.
With the champ @TJDillashaw pic.twitter.com/8PTk0v2IUH
— Hi-Tech Lomachenko (@VasylLomachenko) April 25, 2018
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Markuz Perez (9-1) vs. James Bochnovic (8-2); UFC 224, May 12.
Thiago Silva (20-7, 2 NC) vs. Chris Camozzi (24-13); ACB 88, Junes 16.
Luke Barnatt (14-5) vs. Karol Celinksi (15-6-1); ACB 88, Junes 16.
Chris Wade (12-3) vs. Natan Schulte (11-3); PFL, June 21.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2014: Jon Jones won a unanimous decision over Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 to retain his light heavyweight title. It was Jones’ final win before being stripped of the title following outside-of-the-cage incidents.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Have a good one and see y’all tomorrow.
EXIT POLL
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