Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has found himself on a bit of a losing streak. The fighter lost his title to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217, having been choked out after a brutal octagon war with the French-Canadian. Just three weeks later, Bisping made a second octagon appearance.
This time, “The Count” was headlining UFC Fight Night 122 across from Kelvin Gastelum in Shanghai, China. There, Gastelum earned a stunning knockout over the former champion in the first round. Now one of Bisping’s biggest haters has decided to voice their opinion, saying that “The Count” being allowed to fight may have been fowl play.
Middleweight contender Yoel Romero and Michael Bisping are not on the best of terms. Romero has been sending heated messages to the former champion ever since Bisping destroyed a small Cuban flag cage side for one of Romero’s octagon performances. That being said, Romero is not in support of the powers that be allowing Bisping to fight on such short notice against Gastelum.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, Romero explained his opinion.
“You know, that was the big surprise,” Romero told Ariel Helwani. “Why? It’s so crazy, it doesn’t make sense. I don’t know how the athletic commission said yes and accepted that he’d fight. It’s so crazy, it’s so crazy.”
“I don’t know how the family, the relatives of Michael Bisping allowed him to fight,” Romero said. “I don’t know why the team, the coaches said, ‘OK, take the fight.’
“I don’t know why Michael Bisping took the fight. I don’t know why the UFC said yes. This is very dangerous, it’s not just a fight, it’s very dangerous. Normally, he needed rest for like 16 to 19 days, you know. But he’s sleeping, he didn’t tap out, he went to sleep (in the St-Pierre bout). When that happens in a fight, like a choke or knockout, you need a rest, like a minimum of 16 days.”
“I said, ‘OK, the first time with Gastelum, like a jab or something in the face, he (Bisping) was going to go out because he didn’t go through the [recuperation] and the rest that he needed.”
