Luke Rockhold Says Michael Bisping Has “Bad Taste and Needs to Pay for It”
Once he finished Costas Philippou at UFC Fight Night 35, Luke Rockhold immediately said he wanted to get his revenge on Vitor Belfort for the knockout loss he suffered against the Brazilian.
But once he thought about it some more, Rockhold realized that there's a better fight out there for him right now: Michael Bisping.
The former Strikeforce middleweight champion said he wants to fight one of the top guys in the UFC 185-pound division, and Bisping fits the mold.
“I'm looking at anyone in the middleweight division [to get] myself back into position,” he said at the post-fight press conference, following his fight in Duluth, Ga. “I already let it be known Bisping is out there.”
The desire to fight “The Count” stems from the British fighter's claim to be the unofficial Strikeforce middleweight champion for allegedly knocking out Rockhold during a sparring session. Bisping made the claim on national television, and Rockhold didn't take too kindly to it.
By winning a fight over Bisping, Rockhold would surely find himself in prime position at 185 pounds. Getting that fight signed, Rockhold said, is the next step to starting out the new year on a good note.
“A lot of people are calling him out, but Bisping went on national TV and told everybody he's the unofficial Strikeforce champion,” Rockhold said. “He calls it a joke … but I say he's got bad taste and he needs to pay for it.
“I'd like to get that match. He's a top-five middleweight out there and there's not many guys freed up right now, but I'm interested in getting in there as soon as possible and having a good 2014.”
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