Weidman: Bisping ‘Embarrassing’ As Champion
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman definitely is not a fan of the current title holder, Michael Bisping.
Appearing on the MMA Hour on Monday, Weidman had some strong words for Bisping, who prepares to defend against Dan Henderson at UFC 204 on October 8 in Manchester, England.
“There’s a chance he’s beating Dan Henderson, but I don’t think there’s much of a chance he’s beating anybody else in the top-five,” Weidman said during an interview conducted by Ariel Helwani. “But he’s the champ after winning and holding the belt, so that’s definitely surreal. To walk around and people ask me who the champion is in my weight class and I have to say Michael Bisping, it’s a little embarrassing, but that’s just the way it goes.”
Henderson has gone on record that he will retire even if he defeats Bisping.
Weidman lost the middleweight title to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 on Dec. 12, 2015. He was set to rematch Rockhold at UFC 199 but had to withdraw because of a herniated cervical disc. Bisping took the fight instead, and defeated Rockhold, one of a slew of title changes in the UFC that have occurred so far this year.
“I never thought he was championship material, to be honest with you,” Weidman said regarding Bisping’s title victory. “It was farfetched for him to get a title shot ever again. He happened to be at the right place, right time when I got injured and he happened to have an opportunity to step up and fight for the belt, and he made it work.”
Weidman has been campaigning to get a rematch with Rockhold at UFC 205 on Nov. 12 from Madison Square Garden. If that fight comes through then Weidman, a native of New York, potentially could be fighting to crown a new champion should Henderson get the better of Bisping.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Weidman said. “I’d like to have the biggest fight I could possibly have at Madison Square Garden. It’s been a dream of mine to fight at MSG. I would like to have a fight that everybody can get excited about, a fight everybody really wants to see. And I really don’t know who gives that to me.”
