Michael Bisping: I'm always true to myself

The last fight against Vitor Belfort in January really didn’t go to plan. After the loss, I said in the Octagon that I wanted to fight again ASAP, that I wanted to get back to where I was right away. I didn’t drop down too much in the UFC.com rankings, which I appreciate, and now I’ve got to prove that I am what I’ve been telling everyone these last couple of years – a No. 1 contender in the UFC.

I texted UFC president Dana White as soon as I got back to the hotel room after the Belfort fight in Brazil. I told Dana that I was fine, felt ready to go, and wanted to make amends for that loss as soon as they could possible get me back out there. I’d have taken any fight, anywhere in the world, as soon as they liked.

Only four days later – while I was in England filming the movie “Plastic,” which is going to be released at the end of the year – I got a voicemail from my manager Audie Attar saying matchmaker Joe Silva had been in touch. They were offering me Alan Belcher on April 27, in co-main event of UFC 159.

Even though it was 4 a.m. in England at that moment, I called Audie back up, said, “Let’s do it,” and then went back to sleep. That’s how much thought I needed before accepting a fight with this guy.

This is a fight that makes every bit of sense right now. Last Christmas, both Belcher and myself were making big noises about getting a title shot in 2013, and then within a couple of weeks of each other we had both slipped. We both need a big fight to bounce back with ASAP. And Belcher has been smack-talking me for years - he’s essentially cyber-stalked me - and now he finally gets the fight he wanted. The fight makes a lot of sense for both of us, and the UFC.

I want to clear something up though. Belcher is claiming that I started being disrespectful by not fighting him. He’s delusional. Even in his blog, he pointed out that I was ahead of him in the ratings all this time… so why would I fight Belcher before now? I’ve got respect for Belcher’s skills and "talents" – he’s a good fighter and I am preparing accordingly – but I've been busy beating up guys who kicked his arse (Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jason Day), coaching TUF and main-eventing and co-main eventing shows across the world.

Like I was going to call up Joe Silva up and say: “Hey Joe, listen up, quit offering me fights with these legends and champions in main and co-main events. What I really have in mind for the next step in my career is a mid-card fight with some gobby, ginger hillbilly with a Rosie O’Donnell tattoo”?

Belcher says I turned down a fight with him and fought Brian Stann instead late last year. No, I asked to fight, was offered Stann, and I took it. At the time Stann was, to my mind, a bigger name and added more to my career. He hits a lot harder than Belcher, the fight was going to be on a huge card in Canada, and let’s face it, Brian Stann is a FOX TV commentator; Belcher lives such a boring life, he thinks running out of gas is worthy of a video blog. What’s next, Alan? A blog about paying the electric bill?

Alan Belcher: the least interesting man in the world. When hot milk can’t sleep, it drinks him.

I’ve also seen reports he called me the “C” word on a popular MMA forum, so it looks like he’s going all-out to make a bell-end of himself leading into this fight. I appreciate him hyping the fight, and giving me motivation to smash his teeth in, but this route didn’t exactly work out for Jason Miller and Jorge Rivera, both of whom are on his level.

And listen, Alan... last word on that silly video you did. I know where I come from. I’m an ordinary guy from the north of England who worked hard to get ahead in life. You won’t see me making a prize prat of myself in a video with some stupid NFL wanker, whatever that fat clown’s name is, trying to act like a big-shot tough guy in the back of a $300,000 car. I’m not about that. I’m not about going to clubs and “making it rain” and throwing around childish bets with cars that cost more than most people’s houses to prove I’m a man.

I am who I am. Never pretended to be anyone else. You are a hillbilly right out of “Deliverance,” so why are you acting like a cartoon pimp in 90s music video?

Until next week, hit me up on Twitter @bisping. TRT jokes always appreciated.

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