Michael Bisping: UK Stud or US Dud?

UFC 100 is full of great match ups that MMAOpinion is going to break down from now until the bell rings.  One of these bouts is the battle of TUF coaches.  Dan Henderson (#5 IWMMAR) and Michael Bisping (Not Ranked) are from two very different walks of life.  That was evident throughout the season, but as the fight draws near one of them seems to be getting all of the love, while the other is being hated and disrespected.  That fighter is none other than Michael “The Count” Bisping.

It is not a stretch to say that Michael Bisping is the greatest fighter out of the UK in history.  Here in America that statement doesn’t hold much weight.  It is like saying Yao Ming is the best basketball player in the history of Chinese Basketball.

Funny, Yao may be the greatest but he currently holds the same amount of NBA titles you and me… Zero.

Just over three years ago a young British fighter nicknamed The Count traveled over the pond to take part in a reality show known as TUF.  It was the 3rd and arguably last really good season of the show.

While participating on the show a small rivalry grew between Bisping and American Matt Hammil.  Hammil wasn’t like all of the other fighters he was completely def.  Bisping didn’t like the fact that Hammil got extra attention, and seemed to get a bit jealous.

Things looked great for the future of British MMA with the addition of Bisping and exciting character Ross Pointon.  Unfortunately Ross never materialized and Bisping was left to lead from the front all alone.

More than a year went by and the T.V. rivalry between Bisping and Hammil would be finished in the cage.  It was a great fight, and one that will be remembered by all hard core MMA fans.  That was the day that Bisping stole one.  Although most say it was due to home field advantage, the one British judge actually awarded the fight to Hammil.

That is what happens when you let a fight go to the cards, and Bisping was the benefactor of subjective judging…  In my opinion (if you can’t tell) he lost that fight…

Bisping could have took the back seat for awhile, and let the controversy blow over, but in two short months he was back in the cage.  This time he was not the victor.  A game opponent in Rashad Evans won by split decision as Bisping would suffer his first defeat.

This is where the American haters and British lovers will begin to separate.  The haters will say that Bisping hasn’t fought a serious competitor since that fight.  Course the British fans would argue that Leben was a contender (speaking of, how is that suspension coming?)

Two years later Michael Bisping is ready to test his skills against another great wrestler.  This time it is Dan Henderson.  Hendo is arguably the most well rounded and decorated fighter Bisping has ever faced.

As the fight sneaks up on all of us many of the BOO Birds are starting to surface.

They are circling all because of recent things going around surrounding Bisping.  Some are calling him a “pussy”, “whiny lil girl”, British B!@#$”.  Most because ofis h remarks after Hendo called him a D’Bag.

Who would think a professional cage fighter (not to mention the best your country has to offer) would get so worked up over simple name calling.

Then Bisping goes on to say that he is unstoppable when he is mad…Like he is some sort of British Hulk, that he is going to turn green and have super sprawl power, head movement, and punching power…

Dan Henderson is loved for tons of reason, but one is because he is able to connect with the fans.  They can relate to him.  They root for him because he seems real.

The fight is going to be great.  We will find out in a few days if the talk is fabricated hype, or serious trash talk.  I hoe it is real.  I am a fan of pushing and shoving at the weigh ins.  This is a fight, lets get pumped up and ready to go!  No one knows the true outcome yet, but one thing is for sure…  This fight will determine if Michael Bisping is a UK Stud or a US Dud.