When Michael Bisping thinks of Chael Sonnen, there are no hard feelings. Just more of a sense of wonderment.
Bisping has 13 UFC wins and has fought some of the best fighters in the world since 2006, yet he has not earned a title shot. Meanwhile, it seems like Sonnen falls into an opportunity for the belt every time he opens his mouth.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Bisping said. “I’ve been in the UFC trying to get a title shot the last five years and Chael has gotten three title shots. Chael is one of the best self promoters in the business. Good for him.”
No one trash talks quite like Sonnen. It’s made him one of the UFC’s top draws. But Bisping is far from meek. He can go insult for insult with just about anyone. On Thursday, he and Vitor Belfort, his opponent at UFC on FX 7 on Saturday (9 p.m.) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, almost came to blows.
It’s not about what Bisping says that has kept him out of a premier bout in the UFC and he knows it. The two times he had a chance to earn a title shot – against Dan Henderson and vs. Wanderlei Silva – he lost.
Bisping, 33, knows the clock is ticking which is why Saturday’s fight is so important to him. If he wins, he’ll finally get that long-promised matchup with middleweight champion Anderson Silva – and a chance to be the first Brit to ever hold UFC gold.
“It is a big deal,” Bisping said. “I’ve long said that’s a dream of mine. I’ve always said I want to fight for the title. To be the first Englishmen to hold the world title, that’s a lifetime achievement.”
Bisping has never lacked for confidence. He’s one of the most well-rounded guys in his weight class. He showed that off by using wrestling to beat Brian Stann in September. But he believes he can actually beat Belfort standing up, despite “The Phenom’s” reputation as a knockout artist.
“I think I’m clearly the better wrestler,” Bisping said. “I’m definitely the stronger guy. I think I’m the better boxer. He has more knockouts in the UFC than me, but I think technicallty I’m a better boxer. I can mix it up better than he can.”
The knock on Bisping is that he isn’t a finisher and the stats bear that out – he’s gone to decision in every victory except for two since 2008. He’s also faced questions about his chin. He was knocked out by Henderson in violent fashion and dropped by Stann, Wanderlei Silva and Denis Kang.
That’s one of the reasons why the 35-year-old Belfort is a favorite Saturday night. Not that Bisping bothered by that distinction.
“I’m always the underdog,” he said. “I’m always the victor as well, so who gives a [expletive]?”