Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping, former UFC middleweight champion and current commentator and analyst, spoke out about Arman Tsarukyan refusing to fight Islam Makhachev on June 1.

"If someone says bad things to you, just ignore them all. Because you have earned the right to fight for the belt. It's not a case where you were given an opportunity and you're like, "Oh, you gotta take it!" No! You earned it. You're a title contender. You beat Dariush, you beat Oliveira, you gave Makhachev a tough fight. You have great skills. I absolutely agree with you - it's a huge opportunity. So you need to have a full training camp," Bisping said on the Believe You Me podcast.

Famed British mixed martial arts veteran Michael Bisping commented on UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's desire to win a second title.

"Islam wants to become a double champion. But be careful what you wish for. Leon Edwards is a real sniper. Look at what he just did to Covington. Sure, Colby makes excuses - saying he broke his leg in the first round, that the judges didn't like his love for Donald Trump. However, the fact of the matter is that it wasn't a close fight. Islam wants the opportunity to be great. But he knows that in the welterweight division he will face powerful opposition," - said Bisping on his YouTube channel.

Recall that on June 1 at UFC 302 in Newark, USA, Makhachev will defend the belt against the encroachments of Dustin Porier.

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping says he's ready to restart his career for a third fight with Luke Rockhold.

"I was commentating on the Luke Rockhold fight and everyone is telling me - you have to complete the trilogy. And I'm going to fight Luke Rockhold in the Karate Combat league. I'm going to do it. We're going to complete the trilogy, and I'd really like to do that. One hundred percent. Hey, Karate Combat, I'm waiting for an offer!", - said 45-year-old Bisping in his podcast Believe You Me.

Recall that in 2014, Bisping lost to Rockhold with a choke hold in the second round. In 2016, the Briton managed to take revenge, winning by knockout in the opening five minutes and became the new champion.

Former UFC middleweight champion and current commentator and analyst Michael Bisping has spoken out about the upcoming fight between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa.

"Crazy fight, huh? Costa hits more powerfully, it's clear beforehand. I've trained with Strickland, he's very good in terms of boxing. He almost finished Adesanya in the first round. Shawn is ready to fight dick to dick, nipple to nipple. His style is tied around the jab though. Costa will come forward and punch hard. But Shawn has the advantage of stamina. This will be a five-round fight. And that's a significant advantage for Strickland because he has a style that allows him to conserve energy. Costa hits hard, he throws spinning kicks, he throws high kicks. It's all nice and cool, but those techniques take a lot of energy," Bisping wrote on social media.

Michael Bisping, former UFC champion and current commentator and analyst, called out the mistake that cost Justin Gaethje a win in his fight with Max Holloway.

"I think Gaethje was a victim of his own success. When he knocked out Dustin Porier, he believed in his own invincibility. He probably thought he would run over Holloway without too much trouble. But Gaethje bet on the knockout - he was looking for the right moment the whole fight. That's not the way to do it. When you're chasing a knockout, you can see your punches and intentions better. He put 100% into every punch. He didn't use his combinations wisely. Sometimes he threw hooks, plus he used leg kicks. Other than that, he was predictable. So Max Holloway taught him a valuable lesson. On the other hand, even without this fight, he could have qualified for a fight against Islam Makhachev. He was supposed to go for a title shot and now it's all gone," TNT Sports quoted Bisping as saying.