Michael Bisping is sticking up for the UFC amid the Stephen Thompson payment fiasco.
Thompson was expected to meet Michel Pereira at UFC 291 on July 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah. That plan blew up in smoke after Pereira missed weight. Ultimately, “Wonderboy,” the fighter who made weight, decided not to take the fight.
Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie reported that Thompson hadn’t received his show money. UFC President Dana White recently told reporters that Stephen Thompson will not get his show money since the fight never took place, but he will look at camp expenses and figure something out. Critics have taken this as a direct punishment to “Wonderboy” for not fighting Pereira.
"Guys don't just get paid to not fight."
Dana White explains why Stephen Thompson has yet to be paid anything for his canceled UFC 291 fight.
Full interview: https://t.co/5k51n6EehT pic.twitter.com/86xMi0NSyX
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 9, 2023
Michael Bisping Responds Amid Criticism Over Stephen Thompson Situation
Michael Bisping has been enjoying a comfortable spot at the UFC commentary desk. With that said, “The Count” insists that it has nothing to do with his opinion that the UFC is right to have stiffed “Wonderboy” on his show money. The UFC Hall of Famer explained himself during an episode of the “Believe You Me” podcast.
“I love ‘Wonderboy’ and I am not sh*tting on ‘Wonderboy,’ but when you look at it from a business mind perspective, he declined on the commission, the 20, 30 percent, he declined a new opponent, then still wanted to be paid. Dana said if it was, let’s say an entry-level fighter who’s getting 10, $20,000, then maybe pay that guy, but if it’s a quarter of a million dollars, which was his show money, they’re not just gonna cut that check.”
Bisping admitted he’ll probably get some flak for his take, but he still sides with uncle Dana.
“I know I’m probably gonna get abused, but I think when you look at the cold hard facts of it, I kind of agree,” Bisping said. “They did give a 20 or 30 percent reward incentive, they did offer him a new opponent, and he still chose not to accept it, and I feel like that’s a fair situation, it’s a fair balance, it’s a fair compromise as to the sh*tshow that Michel Pereira created by missing weight.”
