If Michael Bisping is as deceptive with his hands as he was at Friday night’s spirited weigh-in, he will fancy his chances against Brazilian legend Anderson Silva.
The former UFC middleweight champion and perennial top contender square off in London’s O2 Arena on Saturday evening (main card starts at 01:00 UAE time) with the simmering heat between the pair sure to reach boiling point.
Bisping, who is undefeated as a professional in the UK, has been on the offensive for what is Silva’s first fight since a drug suspension and he didn’t miss one final chance to land a verbal blow before fists fly.
“This man is a cheat,” a fired-up Bisping said after weighing in at 186lbs. “This man is a fraud. And I will make you pay for your mistakes tomorrow night my friend.
“All the needles in your a**, all the steroids will not help you, you p****.”
Throughout the week, Silva has ignored Bisping’s offer to shake hands, though, when the Brazilian put his hand out it was the Englishman who refused. But “The Spider” was unmoved and reiterated, after weighing in at 186lbs, his desire to fight for the title again.
Silva has said repeatedly leading up to this fight that he’s interested in making one more run at the belt and Bisping is the stepping stone to help him get there.
“I think so,” Silva said. “I’ve been working hard for this one. I think this fight Saturday night is good for me, good for Bisping. Let’s go.”
Current 185lbs champ Luke Rockhold will be an interested spectator this evening, with the winner tipped to face either himself or Chris Weidman after their June rematch at UFC 199.
And Rockhold says he would relish the opportunity to defend the belt against Bisping, having beaten the Brit in 2014.
“It was one of my most comfortable fights,” he told the Daily Mail. “But it’s always good getting into a bickering battle with Bisping. “I always enjoy that, and to shut his mouth at the end of it always feels good.”
