Michael Bisping will never say he’s always right when calling fights in the UFC, but he’s also more than confident that he knows what he’s talking about.
On the UFC 271, weekend, Joe Rogan was replaced by the ex-middleweight champion. The broadcast team called the event. Israel Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker in a unanimous decision. After the bout, Bisping was subject to a lot of online criticism for his biased comments towards Adesanya and possibly ignoring Whittaker’s performance in the fight.
“Saturday night after the commentary, there was a slew of abuse, shall we say, but I didn’t take it too to heart,” Bisping said on The Fighter vs. The writer . “I wasn’t going to go and kill myself or jump off a bridge as many people were telling me to do.
“But maybe I could have worded it differently in hindsight. It’s been too long since I was able to see it again. It was only yesterday that I got home. Since then, I have had to work and I also have a family. I can’t be like ‘guys, I know I haven’t seen you in a few days but I’m just going to go watch myself for half an hour.’ I haven’t had a chance yet.”
While this isn’t Bisping’s first encounter with internet hecklers taking Bisping to task for something he said on a broadcast, Bisping definitely heard all the noise following his call last weekend.
That said, Bisping has a vivid memory regarding both the fight itself and his commentary, which is why he stands by the way he called the action in the main event.
“I do stand by a lot of what I said,” Bisping stated. “I thought the fight was very close. Robert Whittaker seemed to be just a little behind in most rounds. Although I didn’t mean to be critical of Robert Whittaker, my point was that those rounds that he lost were close, but still losses. He did not put in all the effort to win his fight. If he is determined to win, I advise him to throw the right hand more.
“Izzy, for my opinion, was doing enough to win and he was going to win and it comes out I was correct. The judges saw it pretty much the way I saw it. So I guess I’m validated. But fortunately, it wasn’t the same judge that judged the Roxanne Modafferi fight.”
When the fight was over, Whittaker felt like he had done enough to earn the victory, although he still paid homage to Adesanya on a job well done.
Given that Whittaker has already fallen twice to Adesanya, this loss will likely end any hope Whittaker may have of facing him again. This likely adds to his anger over the decision.
” I know Robert believed he had won the fight at its end,” Bisping stated. “He clearly stated that. That’s the natural reaction for most fighters. It’s a common feeling for fighters, especially when the fight was close. He did however have some success at the end. Although he was landing jabs and other things, if you take a look at the statistics, which I did, Izzy was always ahead in every round.
“There was much talk about takedowns. However, under the new rules for mixed martial arts it is not considered a takedown in close combat. If you don’t use it to move forward, pass guard or do damage, it will be considered a change in position. It doesn’t affect the scorecard.”
Bisping is a great fighter who has faced criticism from many people. He was magnetic throughout his fighting career, and had to deal with a lot of them after each performance.
Words matter obviously and Bisping appreciates true constructive criticism but he’s also confident that he’s put in the work to know how to call a fight as well.
” I am not an arrogant assassin who thinks that I am the end all and be all. My opinion is what matters most so I ignore everything,” Bisping stated. “But I am confident in what I say as well. This sport is my passion. I’ve dedicated my life to martial arts. I am so fully entrenched in the world of UFC. This is my whole life. That’s all I do. For 20 years, I was a professional fighter or a fighter and now I commentate. When I’m not commentating, I’m doing weigh-in shows, post-fight shows, all the rest of it. You name it. My own YouTube channel. A podcast surrounding MMA. I know the sport. Therefore, I am very positive in my opinions.
“That said, it doesn’t mean I can’t get it wrong sometimes. Some criticism is valid and some not. Perhaps it is just Robert Whittaker fans. Perhaps it was Joe Rogan fans who didn’t like me stepping in. Who knows.”
Bisping was part of the commentary group because Rogan was absent. This was initially explained by Rogan as a scheduling conflict that was later disproved by Dana White, UFC president. White called this narrative “bullsh*t
Whatever the reason, Bisping proudly filled in for Rogan for just one night. He holds Rogan in high regard for his long-standing UFC color commentary ability, particularly when it comes down to calling the fights.
“Listen to Joe Rogan. It’s crazy, but it was a great night for him,” Bisping stated. “There were chants of Joe Rogan throughout the octagon. It’s not my intention to make my pay per view debut when someone is in trouble. It’s not the ideal scenario but it also, it was an honor to fill in for Joe Rogan, to be the guy that the UFC called so I’m very grateful for that opportunity.
” Who knows, maybe this is why everybody hates me today. Normally, I’ve turned it around. Normaly, I receive a lot of credits but it’s not after the weekend. It’s almost 2007 again .”
All jokes aside, Bisping has seen Rogan face the same kind of criticism after many of his calls in the UFC, and at the end of the day, it’s all just part of the job.
“I want to learn. I want to get better,” Bisping said. It would be arrogant to not, but you are absolutely correct. I see it all the time, people are always talking sh*t about Joe Rogan. What are you talking of? No. 1, he is the godfather of the UFC or MMA commentary. He really is. He’s the guy that almost essentially started the job if you will. It’s something he has done for years. Joe Rogan is a great guy. It’s clear that you are watching a pay-per view. Joe Rogan is always on the mic.
“I think his insights are fantastic. He knows what he’s talking about. He has an amazing way of using words. I find it fascinating how he arranges his sentences. That’s why he’s got the biggest podcast in the world. He’s an excellent speaker. He knows what he’s doing. He knows the sport and I find some of his takes absolutely fascinating. It just wouldn’t be the same without Joe Rogan. It was never easy for me to fulfill .”
.
