Is Michael Bisping the Rodney Dangerfield of MMA?

Posted by Dan Rose

  Rodney Dangerfield used to make a healthy living complaining about his lack of respect. If you ever heard him talk for more than twenty seconds you’d hear his famous catch line, “No respect, no respect…I get no respect.”  In many ways Michael Bisping is fighting a similar concern here in the USA.  Fans dislike him, mock him, and most feel he has next to no chance against Chael Sonnen this Saturday night.  Let’s look at the facts before we throw the Brit out with the bathwater.

Michael “The Count” Bisping is a talented fighter from the UK. He won season three of the Ultimate Fighter and has since gone on to a very respectable 11-3 record inside the Octagon with his only losses coming from Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Rashad Evans, a virtual who’s who of MMA. However, most of the people I’ve talked to feel he has very little chance against Chael Sonnen. Hmmm?  

Chael is a tremendous fighter. He’s as strong as a government mule and has a ferocious wrestling base and he can utilize it for MMA as well as anyone. He too has an impressive list of victories (and one near victory) that have him in line for a rematch with Anderson Silva if he can solve Bisping. His last outing, he made Brian Stann look quite ordinary via a second round submission.  

This fight comes down to perceived personality rather than skill to many fans in my opinion. People look at Bisping as a petulant child, running his mouth and acting like a spoiled baby. Chael Sonnen on the other hand plays the villain role perfectly. He’s often offensive, disrespects people at random and the American fans eat it up. Stone Cold Steve Austin should get a percentage of every UFC PPV Chael is on from here out, because Sonnen is playing “The Rattlesnake” to perfection. Sonnen wanted WWE wrestler CM Punk to walk him to the cage this weekend.  He knows precisely what he’s doing people.

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However, decent shtick won’t keep you conscious in the Octagon, and skill wise, Bisping has a better-rounded skillset than Sonnen. The perception is Sonnen is this powerful killer and Bisping is some fancy punching Englishman with no power.  Let’s check the facts. Sonnen has only stopped one fighter in the UFC and that was in his last outing, by submission. All his other UFC victories have come via decision.  Bisping however has finished fighters in 8 of his 12 victories inside the Octagon. Bisping has the better, more crisp standup and is superior in the submission game as well.  

Bisping is a huge betting underdog, so it is pretty clear that both fans, and those in the odds making business think Sonnen is going to win this one pretty easily.  I think that simply isn’t the case. Bisping is certainly not frightened of Sonnen, not going to be intimidated by him and come Saturday night, will push the pace standing and if he is taken down, can submit Sonnen from his back.  

This is a big money fight, and a fight that would be been astonishing with the right amount of buildup and promotion. The sound bites these two would have generated would have been epic. However, it was set up last minute due to injury and now these two meet for a shot at Anderson Silva.   

Saturday night, the bell is going to ring and both men will meet in the center of the Octagon and try and earn a shot at Anderson Silva.  When it is all said and done, expect the victory speech to be boastful, amusing and heavily accented. Michael Bisping will defeat Chael Sonnen Saturday night. In doing so, he will take the respect than he’s long been deserving of. Let’s face it, I don’t like the kid, but he can fight and that’s enough for me.  

photo via: ufc