Morning Report: Michael Bisping goes off on the middleweight division: ‘Get over it, I’m fighting GSP’

Michael Bisping’s UFC title run has infuriated much of the UFC middleweight division.

First, after his shocking upset of Luke Rockhold to win the belt, Bisping faced Dan Henderson, a 46-year-old on the very outskirts of the top-15 rankings, for his first title defense. Then, instead of defending his belt against number one contender Yoel Romero, Bisping is now set to face the un-retiring Georges St-Pierre sometime later this year. Needless to say, contenders like Romero and Ronaldo Souza (not to mention Chris Weidman, Gegard Mousasi, and Rockhold) have been extremely outspoken about the state of the middleweight division.

Well, Michael Bisping has a message for all of them: deal with it.

Speaking on his SiriusXM radio show The Countdown yesterday, Bisping went off on all of the middleweight contenders who have spoken out about his title reign and his upcoming fight against St-Pierre.

“You know what the thing is? I had to wait a very, very long time for my title shot,” Bisping said. “And I didn’t go out there and I didn’t whine, I didn’t bitch, I didn’t go to Twitter and Instagram and every single f*cking journalist that I spoke to and [say], ‘woe is me,’ and ‘this is ridiculous,’ and ‘the state of mixed martial arts in the UFC is going to s**t.’ I never said that. You do you. You carry on fighting. The cream rises to the top and if you’re good enough, you’ll get your f*cking shot.

“If you’re so good ‘Jacare,’ and if you’re so good Yoel Romero, the landscape of MMA is ever-changing and if you’re that good, you’re gonna continue to win fights and you’ll get your shot. So stop whinging, stop complaining. Get over it. I’m fighting GSP, hopefully in the summer [or] early fall and that’s just that. It’s set in motion. The fight is happening. It’s gonna do big business. Get over it.”

Bisping was in the UFC a full 10 years before receiving a title shot and his only came as a result of Weidman pulling out of his scheduled rematch with Rockhold two weeks before the fight. However, Bisping also never put together an eight-fight win streak over mostly ranked competitors like Romero has. But Bisping thinks Romero could use one more win on the resume and he has just the fight in mind: “Jacare” Souza.

“In the meantime, perhaps you guys can rematch because ‘Jacare’ lost to Yoel which I thought was a close fight,” Bisping said. “I thought maybe ‘Jacare’ won that fight regardless and then Yoel Romero tested positive. So I don’t see why those two guys don’t rematch in the interim. Maybe they can be a co-main event on that card and then I get to face the winner.”

Romero and Souza battled to split decision in December of 2015; it’s the lone blemish on Souza’s UFC record and a fight many believed he should have won. It was also the fight Romero tested positive for ibutamoren as a result of a tainted supplement, prompting him to receive a six-month suspension from USADA. However, Souza is set to face Robert Whittaker next weekend and Romero is currently attempting to face Anderson Silva for an interim title this summer.

But regardless of what they do, Bisping really just wants them to shut up.

“When I wanted a title shot, I didn’t whine and complain and whinge and b*tch,” Bisping said. “If they’ve got any complaints, make them to the UFC, don’t make them to me. I’m doing me, you do you.”

---

MUST-READ STORIES

420. Kelving Gastelum was flagged by USADA for marijuana, pulled from Anderson Silva fight.

Shoe throwing. Daniel Cormier says “something bad will happen” if Jon Jones comes into the cage at UFC 210.

Eye pokes. Anthony Johnson says look to Kevin Burns to see how he does in rematches.

GSP. Chris Weidman doesn’t think Georges St-Pierre will stay at middleweight after fighting Michael Bisping.

Money buys a lot of leniency. The NAC director says McGregor-Mayweather is an approvable fight.

---

VIDEO STEW

Embedded 4: “Whatever I ask him to do, he just swallows it.”

CM Punk’s wife saying he made a million dollars for his fight.

TTTHS.

Cormier on The Herd.

Flying a little under the radar but this dude (or a guy who was once this dude) fights this weekend for the belt he got robbed of last year. (Also, Melvin KO’ing Hunto is still the most insane thing that’s ever happened in MMA.)

And if there was ever a fighter worth a highlight video, it’s Anthony Johnson.

---

LISTEN UP

Fights Gone By.

One Punch.

---

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Yep.

Ouch.

Brilliant.

Ouch.

Cody did a lot of trash talking today.

Heat.

Still trying.

This guy.

Lookin’ for a fight.

That guy got thrashed.

Doesn’t look too bad.

---

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Emil Meek (9-2, 1 NC) vs. Nordine Taleb (12-4); UFC Fight Night: Stockholm, May 28.

Dong Hyun Kim (22-3-1, 1 NC) vs. Colby Covington (11-1); UFC Fight Night: Singapore, June 17.

Alex Caceres (12-10) vs. Wang Guan (15-1-1); UFC Fight Night: Singapore, June 17.

Rousimar Palhares (18-8) vs. Alexei Ivanov (8-4); Fight Nights Global, June 30.

Travis Browne (18-6-1) vs. Aleksei Oleinik (51-10-1); UFC 213, July 8.

---

TODAY IN MMA HISTORY

1995: At UFC 5, the UFC held their first superfight, a contest between Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock which was intended to crown the first UFC champion. However, Gracie and Shamrock fought to an odd draw and no champion was crowned. That night also featured another tournament which was won by Dan Severn.

2007: The greatest upset in MMA history happened when Matt Serra knocked out Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69. It was nice.

---

FINAL THOUGHTS

So that whole “If GSP isn’t ready until September, I’ll fight Yoel this Summer” was complete nonsense apparently. Bisping is so savvy.

That’s it everybody. Enjoy UFC 210, Conor bless, and see y’all on Monday.

---

If you find something you'd like to see in the Morning Report, just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and let me know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting because we post dope things and you should enjoy it.