Hello new goal posts. Not quite sure where the old ones went, but it's always nice to meet new friends
UFC president Dana White had previously remarked that the fight between Bisping and Henderson was coming together after the middleweight champion specifically asked for a chance to avenge his previous loss to the 45-year-old veteran.
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Of course there are plenty of naysayers — most notably the other middleweight contenders — who have spoken out against the matchup considering Henderson has gone just 2-3 in his past five fights.
Bisping quickly fired back at all of his critics, including former champions like Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold, who seemed to have a problem with him fighting Henderson rather than facing one of them with the title on the line.
"A lot of people have been talking s--t about this matchup," Bisping said. "A lot of people have been very excited about this matchup. Here's the thing — for all these little (expletives) at 185, your Chris Weidman's, your Jacare's (Souza), your Rockhold's — the fight is only eight weeks time. They are still going to be there in eight weeks."
For Bisping to be ducking Romero, or indeed anybody else, you're going to have to provide some evidence that he was offered opponents besides Henderson.
If you can't do that, then I don't know exactly what you or the other guy mean by ducking, words have meanings after all.
If you are the one alleging something, then it is upon you to prove those claims. You claim he sidestepped a fight with Romero and/or others in favour of fighting Hendo, so show me evidence that he was offered a contract to fight them and turned it down.
As for that article, where exactly did Dana say that Bisping specifically asked for the Henderson fight? I've been looking for it and I can't find it anywhere besides that article claiming it, and they didn't provide the quote, which makes it pretty meaningless.
I have seen Bisping say on his podcast and other places over the years though that the first time he was even aware the Hendo fight was a possibility was when it was offered to him, which would directly contradict that was claimed in the article.
The closest thing to what that piece claims Dana said is this quote that I've found repeated in multiple articles.
“It’s a fight that the champ wants. It’s a fight that the fans want. We’re thinking about doing it in Manchester, England. But that’s not signed yet.”
It appears new middleweight champion Michael Bisping will get the fight he’s been pining for.
mmajunkie.usatoday.com
After week’s of speculation and rumour, UFC President Dana White finally announced that the UFC middleweight champion, Michael Bisping (29-7), will be making his first defence against old foe Dan Henderson (32-14) and there is
www.fightersonlymag.com
And let's be clear here, claiming he wants the fight is not close to being the same thing as specifically asking for the fight.
Then there's also that Dana has said on multiple occasions that Bisping doesn't turn down fights, and never said no to any opponent that was offered to him.
Again, if you manage to find the quote of Dana saying Bisping directly asked for Hendo as his first title defense, and show evidence that he turned down other opponents he was offered a contract to fight to do so, I will eat crow and gladly call him a duck with the rest of you.