Earlier this week, a teenager named Antonio Georgakopoulos filed a lawsuit against UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping for allegedly choking him during an altercation at the gym. Then at the UFC 217 media lunch, Bisping responded to the lawsuit, calling it “total bollocks” and disputing the claims in the suit as “completely infactual.” Now, UFC President Dana White has also responded to the lawsuit, backing up his middleweight champion and attacking Georgakopoulos.
“Some f**king meathead got into an altercation with Bisping at the gym and he’s now trying to sue him,” White told the Real Quick with Mike Swick podcast recently. “I gotta talk to Bisping but I’m sure it’s that typical p**sy who opens his mouth at the f**king gym, then Bisping goes over and - I don’t know what Bisping did to him, but now he wants to f**king sue Bisping. You should have shut your f**king face in the first place.
“F**king embarrassing. You’re a clown. Guys like him are a f**king embarrassment.”
Georgakopoulos’ lawsuit alleges that he was working out with a friend at a 24-Hour Fitness when Bisping began to yell at him over using weights Bisping was using. The complaint further alleges that Bisping refused Georgakopoulos’ apologies and choked the him until a “larger man than Bisping” pulled the UFC champion off the teenager. Bisping is also alleged to have made aggressive statements like “You don’t know who I am!” and “Let’s take this outside,” even after the two had been separated.
White says he heard another version of events and still blames the teenager, though he admits that Bisping himself hasn’t given his side of the story yet.
“You got some meathead saying ‘Hey, that’s my bench’ and trying to act like a f**king tough guy in the gym. Yeah, he’s such a tough guy he’s suing Bisping now. Apparently the guy said to Bisping, “Do you f**king know who I am?” That’s what he said to Bisping. Yeah, you’re the guy that sues people. F**king p**sy.
“But this is all second-hand that I heard from one of our people. I’ve got to get it first -hand from him, exactly how it went down.”
White isn’t always averse to lawsuits though; previously he had his billion dollar company sue individuals in relation to online piracy, ultimately settling for an undisclosed amount.
Meanwhile, Bisping is keeping his comments to a minimum about the lawsuit but he was not arrested on the evening in question and per an investigation by the Anaheim City Attorney’s office, “it was determined there was insufficient evidence to file a criminal case.”
Bisping faces Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 on Nov. 4 in Madison Square Garden.
MUST-READ STORIES
One more. Michael Bisping expects to fight at least one more time after UFC 217.
Legal. Bisping calls assault lawsuit against him “total bollocks.”
Title shot. Derek Brunson believes he’s one fight away from a title shot after beating Lyoto Machida.
Retire. Colby Covington hopes Demian Maia has his retirement speech ready.
Easy. Joanna Jedrzejczyk says Claudia Gadelha “didn’t prepare” for Jessica Andrade.
VIDEO STEW
Bisping and Dillashaw lunch scrum.
A short film.
Josh Barnett being a Viking.
Maybe the best of the remixes.
LISTEN UP
Press Row. Dave Doyle makes an appearance to talk about Conor’s gay slur.
UFC Unfiltered. Lyoto Machida and Duke Roufus interviews.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Cody.
Let's be honest here @bisping your fight is a gimme fight the only hype around it is @GeorgesStPierre come back
— Cody Garbrandt (@Cody_Nolove) October 26, 2017
Shade.
@vitorbelfort vs @UriahHallMMA makes sense I guess. You both turned me down. Maybe I fight you both at the same time? How’s that sound?
— Anthony Smith (@lionheartsmith) October 26, 2017
@AlexanderKLee, you remember saying guys in the rankings protect each other by only fighting each other in the mw division? Perfect example.
— Anthony Smith (@lionheartsmith) October 26, 2017
That’s happening because the top 15 cowards won’t fight anybody other than the 15 guys with numbers. How is anyone gonna get in?
— Anthony Smith (@lionheartsmith) October 26, 2017
18 fight veteran calling out 0-0 amateur fighter.
I know. @GregHardyJr afraid to take a a real fight. He's afraid of me decapitating him and hanging his head on my wall #scumbag #coward
— The King (@tking52) October 26, 2017
HFS. Rose has skills.
Comeback.
Colby just keepin’ on.
My haters are all virgins who have no life, no goals and no future. They debate Star Wars and world of Warcraft while I'm out winning.
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) October 26, 2017
Watch people get deaded. It’s good for the soul.
With #Halloween just around the corner, we look back at the scariest knockouts inside the #BellatorMMA cage! pic.twitter.com/ODD8OpFAqy
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2017
Just a reminder that BJ fought Lyoto.
Lyoto Machida w/ a Flying Stomp to BJ Penn's head R3 #UFCSaoPaulo pic.twitter.com/VCX1sg8pyZ
— Honky Extraordinaire (@Mr_Honky) October 27, 2017
Rumor mill a churning.
Felony Charles Bennett is in talks to fight at #rizinff's NYE card as the last BW GP entrant. He starts cutting this week. #RIZIN2017 pic.twitter.com/HnFSZbGzN6
— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) October 27, 2017
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Levy Saul Marroquin (8-2) vs. Alejandro Abomohor (5-4); Combate America, Nov. 11.
Felipe Vargas (4-0) vs. Jose Calvo (3-1); Combate America, Nov. 11.
Sheila Padilla (3-1) vs. Lisbeth Lopez Silva (4-3); Combate America, Nov. 11.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2010: Hector Lombard won a unanimous decision over Alexander Shlemenko to retain his middleweight title at Bellator 34. In the co-main event, Megumi Fujii lost for the first time in her career, coming up on the wrong end of a contentious split decision to Zoila Frausto who won the inaugural flyweight title.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Dragon returns this weekend after two years away and he’s getting thrown into the fire right away. Derek Brunson may not be the best middleweight in the world, but he’s a very good one and a really tough out for a 39-year-old guy who hasn’t won a fight in almost three years. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. And not just in the main event, but the rest of the card too. This card is one of the better efforts the UFC has put forth on free TV in quite some time. If you can’t catch it all live, you should definitely DVR it.
That’s all folks. Enjoy the fights and back at it on Monday.
EXIT POLL
Poll
Who wins the main event this weekend?
This poll is closed
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40%
Derek Brunson
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59%
Lyoto Machida
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