Joe Rogan on GSP-Bisping: Why even have championships at all?
UFC commentator Joe Rogan isn’t too fond of the idea that former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is returning after a three-year hiatus to face Michael Bisping for his middleweight title. And Rogan isn’t holding back his feelings about the recently announced fight.
Rogan appeared on ESPN’s 5ive Rounds podcast to voice his opinion on the fight, which doesn’t have a date but all signs are pointing to UFC 213 in July.
“As a person who deeply respects the position of champion – if you’re gonna do this whole interim title thing and you’re gonna have guys come back after being out of the sport for three years and get a shot right at the title, why have [expletive] championships at all?” Rogan said.
“Why have a champion at all? Just set up great fights,” Rogan continued. “And if you’re just setting up great fights, well that’s a great fight. Bisping versus GSP is a great fight. If you’re going to have a title, this is the champion of the world, then the champion should be defending his title against the number one challenger and that right now is Yoel Romero.”
Romero became the No. 1 contender when he knocked out former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman at UFC 205. It was assumed that Romero would be next in line to face Bisping. However, once St-Pierre announced his return, he was immediately thrust into the title picture. The French-Canadian had never fought in the 185-pound division but jumped the line because of his popularity and his tenure as UFC welterweight champion before taking a hiatus from the sport.
“I don’t like it in terms of the hierarchy of the division,” Rogan said. “I think that, as far as the division goes, it’s not good at all. It sort of hijacks the whole situation.”
With the UFC in a precarious position as Conor McGregor sits on the sidelines in wait for a possible boxing match with Floyd Mayweather and Ronda Rousey’s future in doubt, new owners WME-IMG perhaps felt the need to push Georges St-Pierre into the title picture in an effort to draw as much attention to the product as possible.
