With just over one week to go before Michael Bisping faces UFC middleweight champ Luke Rockhold for a second time – this time on short notice – the two have been rekindling their old rivalry and continued things in much the same fashion during this week’s UFC 199 media conference call.
“I have to beat you to get a chance at redemption,” Bisping told Rockhold. “You’re very, very confident that you’re going to humiliate me, listen – do not underestimate me, my friend, OK? Alright, you did well, you beat me once, try and pull it off twice. It has never happened before, and it will never happen. Believe you me, if you saw the way I was sparring right now you wouldn’t be so sure about it.”
Having lost to Rockhold via submission when the two met back in 2014, Bisping does begrudge Rockhold respect but still, more than anything, is determined to get revenge on the American – especially when the champ isn’t afraid to get under the Brit’s skin.
“Mike, it’s going to be a bad night for you, my friend,” Rockhold stated.
Bisping answered: “OK, alright, cool. We’ll see about that when you’re on the floor and you’re looking up at the stars and thinking, ‘Sh*t! I just lost my belt to a guy that came in on two week’s notice, and took your belt that you worked so hard for.'”
UFC 199 takes place June 4th at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
