UK Scene - Park
UK SCENE: Bisping lashes out, UFC 120 heats up and more in the week of UK MMA
Sep 7, 2010 - 9:00:57 PM UK SCENE: Bisping lashes out, UFC 120 heats up and more in the week of UK MMA

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By: Chris Park, MMATorch UK Specialist

Michael “The Count” Bisping has hit out at a number of fellow MMA fighters this week in an exclusive interview with Mirror.co.uk

Bisping first had words to say about Canadian Middleweight Patrick Cote. “Patrick Cote is a piece of s**t.” said Bisping. “I've met Patrick Cote a couple of times. I’ve always found him to be okay, we’ve shook hands and I’ve had no issue with Patrick Cote and then out of the blue, he’s talking s**t about me.”

While Bisping usually has no problem responding to comments from other fighters, he doesn’t feel Cote is worth his time. “[Cote is] just trying to make himself relevant again and he’s trying to talk himself into a fight with me, which I’m not going to oblige.

“I know I’m talking about him now because you asked, but I’ve just distanced it. I think I’m above Patrick Cote and he’s beneath me. He needs to stop talking s**t about me and get his arse in the gym and try and win a fight.”

Next in the firing line was current No.1 contender Chael Sonnen. After The Count recently made some comments about Sonnen, the American took a recent appearance on ESPN’s MMA: Live as an opportunity to respond to Bisping publicly.

When asked by the MMA: Live panel who he believed would be his next opponent, Sonnen sniped; “Well if Michael Bisping ever addresses me in public again – then I’ll bury him where he stands.”

This was quite an aggressive response from Sonnen and Bisping welcomed a future showdown between the two. “I’d love to fight Chael Sonnen.” Bisping stated. “He said on MMA Live that if I ever address him in public again that he’ll bury me where I stand. It’s big words and I take offence. I mean I’m laughing now, but he’s got a cheek to go on international television and say that.”

Clearly annoyed by the comments, Bisping went on to say: “That’s basically threatening me. He’s not saying he’ll fight me in the cage, but he said he’s going to bury me where I stand, which obviously, I take issue with ever so slightly. But whatever - leave him to it.”

While the Brit is clearly unhappy with what Sonnen had to say, The Count was still full of praise for the wrestlers impressive run of form, adding: “Recently, he’s looking phenomenal. [In] his last three fights he’s been very dominating and he’s been great.

“I think personally he’s a bit of a tool to be honest. Okay, he’s great at what he does and I've definitely laughed my arse off at some of his comments. I think he’s great, he’s awesome at promoting a fight, he really is, but he’s delusional and he’s so far up his own arse it’s unbelievable.”

A third statement was taken as an attack on another UK fighter in Dan Hardy.

“To see it from some of the UK guys pisses me off” Bisping said. “I’ve been a proud ambassador of UK MMA.

“I’ve worked hard and I’ve helped grow the sport to where it is. I haven’t disappeared off to America, like some Mohican wearing people, and lived there and trained there, but then come back here and pretend I’m English.”

Bisping later in the week lashed out at the way his comments were taken towards Hardy, as the two of them are friends and he was simply joking about the mohawked welterweight.

The initial point that Bisping is trying to make is an extremely valid one, though. The work that he has done here over the years has been vital in the growth of MMA on these shores, from winning The Ultimate Fighter himself, to headlining UK shows and returning to the reality show to guide a whole squad of Brits to success in the ninth season last year.

Michael Bisping can take a big chunk of the credit for how big the UFC has become in England and the rest of Europe for that matter.

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As UFC 120 edges closer the tension continues to build for the British fighters on the card, and the implications that these fights in London could have on their respective careers.

An early candidate for fight of the night will see Dan Hardy in action for the first time since his title challenge against Georges St. Pierre against the dangerous Carlos Condit.

In a recent interview with Ben Blackmore at ESPN.co.uk, Condit referred to Hardy as his "toughest" test to date.

“He’s a great fighter and he seems like a cool guy.” Condit told ESPN.co.uk. “But I wanted to fight him because he breaks down real nice for my game, and he’s got status in the division. He was the No. 1 contender so it's a big fight for me.

“He's definitely the most dangerous opponent I've fought so far, and he's the toughest too. He's definitely one of the top guys I've faced for sure.”

Condit will be looking to come to England and beat Hardy in front of the home crowd. But as Condit pointed out, this is not the first time he has faced an "away crowd."

“I fought [Rory MacDonald] over in Vancouver and got the same welcome. Whether you cheer me or boo me I'm going over there to do what I've got to do.”

Condit suffered in the both the first and second rounds in Vancouver but came back to put on an absolute beating in the third. The round would likely have been scored a 10-8 at least, but the referee intervened with a matter of seconds remaining giving Condit the stoppage win.

This fight with Hardy could turn out to be an absolute war with both men applying the same never-say-die method to their games. A win over Condit could see Hardy given the opportunity to avenge the loss that team-mate Paul Daley suffered at the hands of Josh Koscheck.

There was a war of words brewing between the two last year, but as Hardy turned his focus to GSP, Paul Daley took over the warfare with Koscheck. Now, almost a year since it all began Dana White has lit the torch paper between the two again.

When asked at the Fan Expo in Boston that if GSP retains his title against Koscheck if a Hardy vs. Koscheck showdown would be on the cards, White responded saying, “They are two of the top guys in that division - odds are they’re definitely gonna fight.”

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While criticism continues to surround the card for UFC 120, one of the event's competitors does not see what all the fuss is about. In an exclusive interview with ESPN.co.uk John “The Hitman” Hathaway shared his thoughts on “a fine card” that is on offer for the UK fans.

“I think it’s a good card.” Hathaway told ESPN.co.uk. “It’s great to see so many British fighters fighting international opponents. I’m more than happy with the card, I'm happy to compete, and I'm always keen to put a good performance on for the fans. You can always have other people in there, but it’s fine, I think that’ll be great for England.”

With so many up and coming UK fighters involved and a number of European competitors also on the card, this event could nicely trigger off the rumoured series of “European Fight Nights.”

UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik has stated on a number of occasions that he would like to see as many as six UK Fight Nights in 2011 as part of a series of shows across Europe.

“It’s great to have plenty of fights over here.” Hathaway added. “We’ve got a lot of fans who like to come to the events. I'm sure it’ll bring through a lot more European talent, not just from England but throughout Europe.”

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OTHER NEWS IN BRIEF:

-WBA Boxing World Champion David Haye this week twittered a picture of his “next opponent.” The photo was in fact a stare down between Haye and former UFC Light-Heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

As a personal friend of Jackson’s team-mate Michael Bisping, and a huge MMA fan, Haye stated, “Now that would be an explosive contest, whatever the rules!! Ding Dong.”

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-Karlos Vemola, the London based, Czech Republic native has made the drop down to the light-heavyweight division. Walking around at roughly 220 lbs, it was clear in Vemola’s UFC debut that a move from Heavyweight to 205 lbs. would make a lot of sense.

Having been dominated by Jon Madsen for the full three rounds of his UFC debut, Vemola suffered the first loss of his professional career. Looking to get back to winning ways and kick-start his UFC career Vemola will take on Seth Petruzelli at UFC 123 in Germany.

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-Sunderland’s own Ultimate Fighter, Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson has referred to his upcoming fight with Cole Miller as "The most important of my career." Pearson has already begun the final stretch of his preparations training with the likes of Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida ahead of his September 15 clash with Miller.

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-Mike Pyle, who next faces John Hathaway, has spoken out ahead of his UFC 120 clash with the Brit in London stating he will "beat the s**t" out of Hathaway.

Speaking to MMAJunkie.com Pyle stated: “This kid’s going to be in for hell. I ain’t Diego Sanchez. His last fight was a good and easy fight. This time, he’s in for the fight of his life. I can’t wait for [his home crowd] to boo me. I’m going to suck it all up and spit it right back out at all them crooked-teethed Englishmen.”

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Join me next week for another round-up of “The UK Scene.”

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Chris Park is the MMATorch UK Specialist and guest columnist at ESPN.co.uk. Please email any comments or questions to Chris at; mmatorchuk@gmail.com or look us up at http://www.facebook.com/mmatorchuk2 our new MMATorch Facebook home for UK Fans!