Michael Bisping: The Count Cuts His Teeth
Big things are expected of unbeaten Michael Bisping, the British striker who blasted through the field to snatch the Ultimate Fighter 3’s light heavyweight contract over the summer.
As the only Briton inked to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, ‘The Count’ not only has an entire nation of MMA fans on his back, but glowing appraisals from the likes of TUF III coach Tito Ortiz (‘Bisping has a great shot at becoming a champion‘) and even UFC President Dana White (who compares Bisping’s charisma and excitement factor to compatriot champion boxer Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton) have focused the spotlight on Bisping like a laser beam.
“I’m getting a lot of attention,” Bisping laughs.“Since winning the reality show I’ve done loads of interviews with newspapers, magazines and things in England. The BBC even sent a reporter to the gym to talk to me and I’ve been invited to sporting events and things like that.
“It’s been great, to be honest. I like doing the PR things - talking about myself isn‘t exactly hard work (laughs)! But what I like doing best is fighting in a cage and I can‘t wait ‘til November 11 and get back to doing that.”
Although the 27-year-old smashed Kristian Rothaermel, Ross Pointon and finally Josh Haynes during his TUF 3 rampage, Bisping considers his upcoming bout against Eric Schafer (9-1-2) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to be his true Octagon debut.
He explained: “The reality show was almost like a shortcut to my dream of getting into the UFC. I think I’d have got into the UFC even without the show, anyway, but the show was a great vehicle if you like. But I never felt like a UFC fighter until about a month after I got back home after winning the final; it took a while to sink in. I proved that I belong here in the UFC and now there’s the even bigger challenge of moving up the rankings to, hopefully, a world title shot.”
challenge for the 205 pound (or 14 stone 9lbs as they’d say in the UK) UFC Championship may be a little way off, but, confident and aflame with ambition, Bisping said: “I’ve got a three-year deal with the UFC and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think one of those fights wouldn’t be a title fight.
“It is very early days yet, of course, and I’m not getting ahead of myself, but I’m a fighter and the belt is my ultimate goal. I’m not here to make up the numbers and while I don’t expect to be challenging Chuck (Liddell) or Tito next week, I aim to just keep improving and keep winning fights and, if I do that, I’ll get a title shot sooner or later.”
In the meantime, Bisping is certainly training like a champion in the making. The Briton turned up to the TUF 3 house as one of the fittest of the 16 competitors; and having traveled to his camp to observe a typical day in the office for Bisping, I can understand how…
The Wolf’s Lair MMA Academy is located in Runcorn, in the northwest of England. Runcorn is 200 miles or so north, northwest of London but, with what Americans would consider strange accents (Bisping was subtitled on TUF) and even stranger food (take blood pudding, for instance, a kind of large sausage made out of fat and congealed pig’s blood) the north of England is a galaxy away from the stereotypical images of British pomp and circumstance.
The Wolf’s Lair is to be found at the end of an industrial estate, past a row of workshops and warehouses. Inside, though, the MMA facilities are world class.
“When Spike TV sent their cameras here before TUF final they admitted they were a bit surprised that we had all the facilities we’ve got,” Bisping said of the gym. “I don’t know what they were expecting but they said they hadn’t seen too many gyms as good as this outside of the UFC training center in Vegas. We‘ve got everything from a proper full sized cage and boxing ring to padded mats for grappling, everything, really. We’ve got a weights section as well, although I do my weights at a gym closer to where I live and my running in the woods.”
On the day I visited the Wolf’s Lair in September, Bisping was already approaching fight-fitness, and the Count’s performances in sparring and rolling were as razor sharp as his namesake’s vampire fangs.
After warming up, Bisping stood in the gym’s cage and, giving his five sparring partners one minute each, completed 3 x 5minute rounds wearing boxing gloves, training stand-up and takedowns, then grappling. Bisping would do a minute standing, then a minute starting from his back, then a minute starting from his opponent’s guard and each successive minute started with a fresh opponent.
First up for the Count was Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman, who famously stopped one-time UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 38 in London. Freeman, now 40, was just weeks away from a fight in London and the mini-sessions between the two biggest British names in UFC history were a fanboy’s dream.
But no sooner had Bisping’s advantages in speed begun to assert themselves, it was another sparring partner’s turn, then another, then another. After a quarter of an hour of this, Bisping trained submissions alongside BJJ expert Mario Neto.
Then the Englander worked the bags for half an hour, slamming in piano heavy punches and kicks - including a series of those photogenic, Matrix style flying knees which accounted for compatriot Pointon in that memorable TUF semi-final.
Finally, boxing trainer Tony Quigley took Bisping on the target pads before driving the entire class through a brutal circuit of press-ups, pads, sit-ups, squat thrusts, sit-ups, burpees and sprawls.
There were some very athletic fighters in the gym and, of course, every one of them would be at a different stages on the road to match fitness. However, only Bisping kept pace with cheerful sadist Quigley as he called out drill after drill.
Roaring out loud as he went, ‘The Count’ hit every press-up, every sit up, every squat-thrust. It was intimidating stuff.
“Every day is a little different in the gym,” Bisping said afterwards. “I’d get bored out of my mind doing the same things all the time, and I enjoyed today.”
Quigley, a former boxer himself, added: “I have to keep an eye on Mike in the gym because, if you’d let him, he‘d train flat out all day every day. He’s train full-blast all the time, that‘s why no one (TUF) could handle him in training. He’s a complete workaholic. He trains like you’ve just seen every day in here, plus he does his weights and runs plus he also teaches his own classes closer to where he lives in the evenings. He’s a fighting machine.”
Bisping said: “Winning TUF was the biggest thing in my career, I‘m proud of that achievement, but I can either leave it at that or push harder, get better and go for bigger things in the future. And that’s what I want to do, one fight at a time.”
Which brings us to the Hard Rock Hotel, November 11 and Milwaukee submission specialist Eric Schafer.
“Easier said that done, I know, but I want to put him to sleep nice and fast,” Bisping said of his opponent. “I’m not going to rush in but I think I will knock this guy out, maybe in the first round. He’s a decent fighter and he’s coming off a win in the UFC, but I think I’m the better fighter all round; just because he’s good at jiu-jitsu doesn’t mean he can out wrestle me, and I have massive advantages in striking.”
However, the Count admitted Schafer was impressive in his previous Octagon appearance, when ‘Ravishing Red’ (as he likes to be known) submitted Rob MacDonald in little over two minutes at UFC 62.
Unable to secure footage of any other Schafer fight, Bisping has gone over those 146 seconds of action with a fine-toothed comb and offers the following appraisal of Schafer:
“You could say he looked impressive on the ground but, to be honest, I thought MacDonald made some horrible, nasty mistakes when the fight went to the ground. I was watching the fight thinking ‘what are you doing?’ when MacDonald didn’t even close his half-guard. MacDonald was just asking to be mounted and submitted, so I’m not sure how good Schafer actually is, although in training I’ve prepared harder than ever, y’know, just in case.”
It’s no great revelation that Bisping - who has won all but one his fights via strikes - wants to stand up with an opponent whose nine wins came from submissions.
“His striking looks pretty average,” Bisping said. “He had some half-decent leg kicks, they looked hard, but I didn’t think much of his punches at all. There was no real speed, no footwork to put anything (powerful) behind the punches, and no head movement. I think I’ve got him (done) when it comes to stand up, so obviously I’ll be looking to strike.”
Bisping added: “But though I like to strike, I’m not worried about going to the ground. I’m pretty talented on the floor. There’s no doubt in my mind that I can out-grapple and submit almost anyone. But why take the fight to the ground - where Schafer’s best chance is - when I can stand up and probably waste him in one or two rounds?”
To that end, Bisping has worked very diligently on his takedown defense.
He laughs: “I’ll actually be pissed off with myself if he even gets a takedown; I’ve pushed myself that hard in training I’d actually offend myself if I get taken down.”
If Bisping, 11-0 continues to win, there’s little doubt he will be used to spearhead the UFC’s triumphant return to British shores in 2007.
“That’s one of the reasons there’s pressure on me,” Bisping said, “Some people have talked about me being like a poster boy for the UFC in England and that’d be a great honour if it happens like that. I’m fighting to win for myself and my family but, again, I’m honoured to fly the flag for England and British MMA.
“There are expectations on me but, believe me, after the hard work I do in the gym I expect a lot from myself.”
Source: UFC.com
Tito Ortiz Vs Dana White called off
You may remember in June we reported that UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship contender Tito Ortiz had a clause written in to his new UFC contract where he would be given the chance to have three rounds of boxing sparring with UFC President Dana White.
Apparently the fight was supposed to happen on Friday 20th October but the Nevada State Athletic Commission stepped in and wouldn’t let the fight go ahead.
“They basically had issues with the weight difference.” Said UFC President Dana White. “Tito’s 220 pounds, I’m 197.”
“They had a problem because Tito has a huge pro record, and I have none. I’m 37 years old and was fat as hell six weeks ago.”
“I never knew it would be an issue because it’s just a sparring match. But they said, ‘No, it’s more than a sparring match. You guys intend to hurt each other.’ ”
But fear not one sided fight-fans because Dana White is reportedly "working" on the Commission and hopes to be able to reschedule the sparring match for after UFC 66, where Tito Ortiz squares off with UFC Light-Heavyweight Champ Chuck Liddell.
In the mean time, White will be training feverishly with old friend and boxing trainer Jimmy Gifford. White’s training will be filmed for a Spike TV documentary as a prelude the fight, which will be shown live on the Internet.
UFC 65 “Bad Intentions” Line-Up Finalized
The following is the final card for the November 18th UFC 65 "Bad Intentions" show from the Arco Arena in Sacremento, California:
-Matt Hughes (c) vs. Georges St. Pierre (UFC WW Title)
-Tim Sylvia (c) vs. Jeff Monson (UFC HW Title)
-Frank Mir vs. Brandon Vera
-Joe Stevenson vs. Dokonjonosuke Mishima
-Alessio Sakara vs. Wilson Gouveia
-Nick Diaz vs. Graison Tibau
-Brad Imes vs. Antoni Hardonk
-James Irvin vs. Hector Ramirez
-Jake O'Brien vs. Josh Shockman
Despite Surgery, Cro Cop still wants to kick ass for the New Year
Pride 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has successfully undergone surgery to remove a small piece of bone in his left foot. According to the Croatian news site "Justranji," Mirko will return home from Switzerland on Monday and is expected to rehabilitate his foot for two weeks before he resumes training.
Cro Cop, who is currently the #2 Heavyweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings, revealed that he initially suffered his injury prior to his fight against Mark Hunt at the Pride Shockwave event in December 2005.
The Grand Prix Champion commented that the surgery went smoothly and stated that his foot will not be completely healed until December. Despite the recovery time, Cro Cop still wishes to be a participant in Pride’s annual New Year’s Eve event.
If Mirko is able to fight at Shockwave, it's likely that his opponent on that night would be someone other than Pride Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko, who is the #1 Heavyweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings.
Mirko expects his foot to be fully healed in time for a potential showdown with Fedor Emelianenko in February, which means that the fight could take place on Pride’s next American show in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 24th.
If that is the case, it will be the first time that a Pride championship will have been defended on U.S. soil with the modified rules under the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Ortiz Cancels Appearance When Asked Not To Bring Jenna Jameson
Ultimate fighter Tito Ortiz and his girlfriend, adult film star Jenna Jameson Ultimate Fighting Championship
There are only two weeks left until the Marine Corps birthday, and the air station in Miramar doesn’t have a guest of honor for its ball. Ultimate Fighting Championship brawler Tito Ortiz was slated to fill that chair at the beginning of the month, but canceled on Thursday after air station officials asked him to un-invite his girlfriend and date for the event, porn star Jenna Jameson.
“We invited him, and he accepted. Then, it became aware to us that his guest was going to be his girlfriend. Then, we had to make a decision, and the decision made was that she was not an individual or guest that we really felt was appropriate for the Marine Corps ball,” said Maj. Jason Johnston, a spokesman at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.
Miramar officials hoped that Ortiz might still attend the ball and simply leave Jenna at home, but “his point was, hey, that’s his girlfriend, they’re very much in love, and he’s going to have to decline the offer,” Johnston said. “And we very much understand.”
Johnston acknowledged that asking Ortiz to attend without his girlfriend could be seen as a bit rude. But he said Miramar officials weighed that against preserving the spirit and heritage of the ball.
“Un-inviting a guest is something you don’t do without serious considerations,” Johnston said. “We did think about how it would be rude to un-invite him, and many other opinions were considered in this matter. Ultimately, it was the [commanding officer’s] decision.”
Miramar’s decision and Ortiz’s withdrawal were announced two days after a short article ran on www.marinecorpstimes.com, which quoted Miramar spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Katheryn Putnam’s confirmation that the station expected both Ortiz and Jameson at the sold-out ball.
That news didn’t go over well with at least one senior enlisted Marine. Master Gunnery Sgt. Larry Kuzniak, assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., said he couldn’t sleep that night after reading the news on the Internet. He said that at his sergeant major’s meeting the next morning, he made a point to relay the news to his unit’s senior enlisted Marines, who he said heard it with dropped jaws, and expressed his concerns about the commandant’s health in the event he’d already heard the news, too.
“These guys in Miramar are making a mockery of what is supposed to be tradition,” Kuzniak said. “It should be about the Marine Corps, not about the movie stars and the athletes. If you’re not going to observe tradition, you might as well just let it die. Next thing you know, Barbra Streisand will be out there.”
On Kuzniak’s list of animals, minerals and vegetables that would have been more appropriate as guests than the lover and the fighter Miramar invited: Any one of the 13 living Marines who have received the Navy Cross since Sept. 11, 2001. “Or maybe this is that year that we take that lance corporal from the convoy that’s out there every day,” he said.
Kuzniak said it is regretful that the Corps even got itself in this position, but that Miramar’s decision to backpedal on its invitation is the right move.
“That’s probably the first right thing they’ve done is to be embarrassed by this,” he said. “It’s just totally embarrassing.”
Miramar didn’t know Ortiz’s girlfriend was porn industry giant and sex-made millionaire Jenna Jameson when it asked him to be its guest of honor “a couple weeks ago,” Johnston said. He describes a command that confirmed a guest speaker one week, only to discover that a porn star was upon them the next.
“When you invite someone, you don’t go into it thinking ‘who is the individual and who might they bring as a guest,’ ” Johnston said.
He said that asking Jameson not to come “is not a black-list decision by the Marine Corps.”
The welcome mat goes back out on the porch as soon as the ball is over, Johnston said, and Miramar is looking forward to having both Ortiz and Jameson visit the station before the end of the year.
With Miramar slated to host the UFC for a fight night in an aircraft hangar that will be open to station personnel only and televised live to Marine Corps Recruiting Command’s target demographic on Spike TV a month after the ball, tapping one of the championship’s fighters as guest of honor wasn’t as random a choice as it might seem, Johnston said.
The decision to invite Ortiz in the first place was a nod to the relationship West Coast installations and recruiters have developed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship over the past few years, a relationship that has grown especially close in the last six months, according to UFC representative Michael Sakin.
Although the UFC’s burgeoning relationship with the Corps remains unofficial, decision-makers at Recruiting Command are keeping tabs on what the Corps and the UFC are doing to support each other at the installation and recruiting station level with an eye toward possibly formalizing a national sponsorship in the future.
Recruiting Command assistant chief of staff for advertising, Lt. Col. Mike Zeliff, said the Corps’ relationship with the UFC is an example of innovation from the bottom up.
“Not all the greatest solutions come from Quantico,” he said. “This is an instance where a successful local program may continue to expand.”
TUF 4 Rating For Episode Eleven Ties Record Low
The Ultimate Fighter 4 "The Comeback" episode eleven from this past Thursday night on Spike TV scored a final cable rating of 1.0, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The show is not doing so well past the half-way point this year. Not sure what to make of that.
Complete Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale Card Made Official with Bisping
The following bouts are confirmed by UFC.com for the November 11th special, Ultimate Fighter 4 finale show live on Spike TV from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada:
-Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle (TUF4 WW Final)
-Travis Lutter vs. Patrick Cote/Edwin Dewees (TUF4 MW Final)
-Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer
-Din Thomas vs. Rich Clementi
-Pete Spratt vs. Jeremy Jackson
-Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell
-Charles McCarthy vs. Gideon Ray
-Thales Leites vs. Martin Kampmann
The prelim bouts will be: Spratt/Jackson, Smith/Sell, McCarthy/Ray and Leites/Kampmann.
Don't forget to visit MMANews.com the day of the show for detailed live play-by-play results from the show, including the prelim bouts.
Discuss about the fight card here
Off-topic: New sister website Love Borat
I have setup another blog site called Love Borat. Its aimed at… Borat.
The forums will be up soon so if you want to move over and chat about one of the worlds funniest characters feel free.
Michael Bisping’s Debut UFC Fight Announced, More
The following is the current line-up for the November 11th Ultimate Fighter 4 live finals special on Spike TV from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. -Ultimate Fighter 4 Middleweight Final -Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle (TUF 4 WW Final) -Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer -Thales Leites vs. Martin Kampmann
Kurt Angle Says UFC Tried To “Own Him”, & More
The following is from a Kurt Angle media conference call held:
Question: Word was you talked to UFC, who did they want you to face and what do you think about Dana's thoughts on you now?
Kurt Angle's Response: "The deal he offered me he wanted an actor for sure. I didn't want to be owned by anyone, and Dana [White] is a lot like Vince [McMahon]. I considered going there, but he wanted a long-term exclusive deal. He wanted me to fight some kid from Tough Enough and is trying to make money off my name. When I stepped into the ring with him I had little feeling in my arms, now is a different story. The money was a great offer, but they wanted me as a poster boy more than a fighter. Dana and UFC are great and on the rise, but I didn't want to be owned. The fight would have been a huge buy-rate, but it just wasn't for me. If I do fight, I will probably go with UFC. I would work with [Daniel] Puder if TNA signed him, but he really isn't that good as WWE tried with him but he just wasn't good enough and not near my level or at the level of anyone in TNA, he doesn't have it. I have no respect for him. I am a different guy, I am bigger and have all my strength back so he couldn't do it again. At that time almost anyone could have done that to me at the time, in the end a stupid idea from Vince."
