Michael Bisping plays matchmaker for the UFC middleweight division.
Much like the rest of the MMA fan community, Michael Bisping was blown away by the main event of UFC 281. The massive card that took place on Saturday night saw a shocking win by MMA newcomer Alex Pereira over longtime champion Israel Adesanya. Pereira took out the champion in just his fourth UFC fight and is now bringing that belt back to his training home of Danbury, CT.
With Adesanya’s loss, which was his first ever in MMA at 185 pounds, his future seems unclear. He had a long and successful title run and clearly would deserve an immediate rematch. He spoke following the fight about wanting a bit of time off but still seemed very interested in a rematch later on. Bisping believes the former champion should be the next option but with now losing to Pereira three times, including kickboxing, he feels there could be a better option.
“Now we don’t know what the UFC is going to do, I have no idea. Me, personally, I think he’s he deserves a rematch. I think he has been such a great champion. He’s been entertaining. He’s been charismatic. He’s been a workhorse for the UFC. They said on the commentary that ever since Israel won the belt, he has competed in 20% of the UFC title fights. I mean, that is phenomenal,” he said on his YouTube channel. “What a schedule, what a workload, the toll that takes on the body and mentally as well. It is incredibly draining. So maybe Izzy, you know, can go away and take a little bit of time out, a little bit of time and have a little well-earned rest.”
Michael Bisping has an idea about who can fight Alex Pereira next
If Adesanya is to take some time off, Bisping knows who should get the next title shot. He is choosing a man who is the former champion and in the last eight years has only lost to Adesanya. That man in Robert Whittaker.
“I would like to see an immediate rematch, failing that, it’s Alex Pereira versus Robert Whittaker,” he said. “Robert Whittaker is clearly the next guy in line if you ask me. He’s beaten everybody else and is head and shoulders as the next best guy after Israel. Well, of course, we got Pereira there now as well. So, Pereira as the champ, Izzy in my mind takes a little break, in the meantime, Pereira fights Robert Whittaker.”
Only time will tell what the UFC wants to do in the middleweight division. Similarly, Kamaru Usman lost his belt in the fifth round this year and is getting that immediate rematch. Perhaps when a few days or weeks pass, Adesanya will realize that he wants another go at the man who took his belt.
