Michael Bisping Still Unsure of Retirement, but Counts Out a Return to Middleweight

Is he or isn't he?  Is former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping going to return to the Octagon for one more fight or is he simply going to drift off into the sunset of retirement? That's a good question... and one that even Bisping himself can't seem to answer despite how busy he was chatting up fans and fellow fighters on Twitter last week. "Honestly, I don't know," Bisping answered when asked if he'd ever return to the Octagon again. "But, I hear the last person I knocked out may be fighting for an interim belt. If he wins, I'm in. I'm 225 (pounds) right now and pretty ripped; never making 185 again." https://twitter.com/bisping/status/992709569854885889 Bisping, of course, was referring to Luke Rockhold, who has been talking a good bit lately about moving up to 205 pounds. Whether or not he gets a shot at an interim belt remains to be seen, as teammate Daniel Cormier is firmly entrenched as champion, but is challenging for the heavyweight title at UFC 226.

There's also the issue of whether or not Rockhold deserves an immediate crack at a title if he moves up. He is 1-2 in his last three fights. Bisping knocked Rockhold out at UFC 199 in June of 2016. Rockhold bounced back with a win over David Branch last September, but was then knocked out by Yoel Romero in February. Not exactly the type of credentials UFC officials typically want from someone entering a title fight, even of the interim variety. Speculation has centered around a possible match-up between Rockhold and Alexander Gustafsson at 205 pounds, but Bisping doesn't think that's a good match-up for the moving middleweight.  "Gustafsson smashes Rockhold, I mean, totally destroys him," Bisping added as part of his latest Twitter ramblings. https://twitter.com/bisping/status/992711533728694274 That's a lot of chatter without a resolution to the queries about Bisping's potential retirement or final fight, but he was farm from done, leaving fans with his own uncertainty about whom he would fight if he returns to the Octagon and takes a fight at 205 pounds for his final fight. TRENDING > Cris Cyborg Has Two UFC Fights Left, Then Plans to Dive into Boxing "I asked UFC; they asked me. Honestly, who makes sense?" Bisping poised. "Serious question? Up and comer? Old legend? I have no idea." https://twitter.com/bisping/status/992714397565911040

Bisping lost his last two bouts to Kelvin Gastelum and Georges St-Pierre. His overall record stands at 30-9. Is that where it is destined to remain?