Silent fight: The Count can't tempt 'respectful' Akiyama into a slanging match!

Anybody that knows me or has followed my career will be aware of how much I get a kick out of hyping a fight. I never deliberately try and get in spats with my opponents, but sometimes it happens and, more often than not, a bit of bad blood ultimately sells the fight better anyway.

Many of my recent fights contained a bit of needle between my opponent and I, but that run stopped with my last opponent, Dan Miller. Dan was a decent guy and neither of us really had anything bad to say about the other. In the end it didn't really matter, as I still went out there, put on a show and won the fight.

Akiyama: respectul in the build-up to his match with Michael
I don't fight any better or worse with a bit of feeling towards my opponent. Even if I strongly dislike someone going into a fight, I will still be able to remain calm and composed once I step inside the Octagon. It's very important you don't become too wrapped up in your emotions as a fighter. This is something you learn to control through years of experience.

Akiyama is not giving me much ammunition and seems to be a very quiet and respectful guy. I can't just decide to start slagging him off and taking shots at him. That would be very unfair on the guy and wouldn't really reflect on me very well.
Michael Bisping
Quotes of the week
BISPING v AKIYAMA
UFC 120 - O2 Arena, London
Saturday, October 16It also looks like my next fight will follow a similar pattern to the Miller one. I fight Yoshihiro Akiyama on Saturday, October 16 at the O2 Arena and, as of today, haven't heard so much as a whisper from the Japanese fighter. Usually by this point in preparation my opponent would have called me every name under the sun, but not Akiyama.

Respectful
I'm not sure whether it's because he's a genuinely friendly character or simply because he can't speak English, but either way I've not heard a peep from him yet!

I want to really sell this fight and hype it up with a bit of needle and bad blood, but there's really nothing I can do or say to instigate it. Akiyama is not giving me much ammunition and seems to be a very quiet and respectful guy. I can't just decide to start slagging him off and taking shots at him. That would be very unfair on the guy and wouldn't really reflect on me very well.

Believe me, if there was something I could claw on to, I'd grab it. Having a bit of 'needle' doesn't alter how I fight, but it certainly is a motivation to get out of bed and go run in the rain.

All I can say is that I believe I'll knock him out when we meet on October 16. I'm allowed to say that as it's something I strongly believe will happen. In fact, I'm not just hoping for a knockout, I'm getting one on October 16. I also think I'm the better fighter.

As for the reasons for the silence, Akiyama's obviously just knuckling down to training and getting on with it. He realises what a tough test this is for him and he doesn't need to be told that he can't afford another loss.

I know he's training been with Greg Jackson and his camp, so he's obviously taking it very seriously and realises what kind of threat I present him with. He's taken himself out of his comfort zone and moved to America to challenge himself.

It is a little frustrating for me, though, because I want to generate even more interest in the fight and get involved in a bit of pre-fight talk. Sometimes it just isn't meant to be, though.

For me, I am knocking him out, in devastating fashion and then I want another top name - the best there is available. I am the finished article now; I've been in the UFC for almost five years, I've learned on the job, made the improvements and learned from my wins and losses, and it is time for me to deliver on my potential.

http://www.skysports.com/opinion/story/0,25212,19872_6403566,00.html

Bisping is a mug. I hope he loses, but as big a name as Akiyama is, this is a very winnable fight for Mike "Out for the count" Bisping.


The up side to him winning will be an ever better fight afterwards and, hopefully he will be getting brutally KO'd once more in that! He's long overdue!!

this is going to stir up another big argument between pro and anti bisping fans, im not getting involved but all i will say is i know he wont knock akiyama out but i hope he picks him apart and sends him back to osaka in a shoe box,

Lets all say it togeather...

What a fucking Prick

Sometimes I dont want to run my mouth about him because he took the time to shake my hand at a UFC event but Bisping just cant stop running his mouth!

Akiyama is and pretty much always has been higher ranked than Bisping everywhere, so this shit about him not being able to afford another loss is so far off the mark. Yeah Leben beat him but he was ROCKING leben (which is a rare thing) and basically dominating the fight till the looss... which was his only loss in MMA, JLB at 265lbs being the other one!

Bisping 2 of his last 4, Wanderlei, Miller and Kang were probabally all non ranked at the time.

All this over confidentness about IM KNOCKING HIM OUT etc.. its boring, he runs his mouth like that all the time and he isnt even funny like Sonnen.

After Sakuraba, Minowa, Nog and Crocop loosing I really need a fight to cheer me up, COME ON AKIYAMA YOU SEXY BEAST!!!

I think Akiyama has a shot. He was landing harder punches on Leben than Bisping was, and was absorbing some big shots from Leben too. Bisping gets rocked a lot, and has been by dropped by lesser fighters.

Cardio has always been Akiyama's achilles heel, but maybe Jackson can sort that.

I'm hoping Bisping wins,but I'm not so sure.

Akiyama's cardio has got to be alot better since he is actually fighting regularly now and for me that is what cost him and made him look bad and put out these last sloppy performances,plus the fact he's at Greg Jacksons now,and one thing Jackson knows how to do,is get his fighters to grind out a win and it doesn't matter what they look like doing it,just as long as they follow his safe plan to do it.

I read this article on Jackson and the way he brings up his fighters,that I thought was good and accurate.



http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/9/26/1712935/winning-above-all-the-greg-jackson-formula

bispings only chance is to do what he did against elvis sinosic via gnp.

Akiyama is a much better grappler and hits much harder, unless he gases he should win this fight. He's simply a much better fighter than Bisping.

Bisping has never knocked anyone out in devastating fashion, not sure why he thinks he'll knock Akiyama out.

I'll tell you what,if UFC 120 and 121 are the final rd in the cup for the predictions,I could be in big trouble,as there are loads of fights on those cards that I just can't make my mind up on.

Anfields5thKing wrote:Akiyama is a much better grappler and hits much harder, unless he gases he should win this fight. He's simply a much better fighter than Bisping.

Bisping has never knocked anyone out in devastating fashion, not sure why he thinks he'll knock Akiyama out.

General MMA promo work always equals "Fighter X looking for the knockout"

I always find being realistic is much more endearing in a fighter than being a complete cock. Bisping has a history of ridiculous predictions though. This is after all the man who was going to outwrestle and knock out Dan Henderson.

im a big bisping fan but when he makes predictions like "vicious knock out" my face is like

Akiyama is a known cheater, so whats all this about having nothing bad to say about him?

haha, anyways its well established now that Bisping is a turd.

i agree with what Anfield said, the only other thing Bisping has on Akiyama is size.

The only chance that Bitchping has, is Akiyama gassing. I really hope that Akiyama's learnt from his last two fights and has been working on that cardio. Bisping's punches don't really hold sufficient power to KO Akiyama, he's chin is ridiculously weak and whilst Bisping has shown that he can fight off his back, that seems to be the only place that he can. I can see a similar format to the Henderson fight, with Bisping moving a lot and trying to hit from the back foot, unfortunately for him, I can see Akiyama closing the distance and putting him to ......Before Bisping being handed another can or two and then claiming that he's ready to face the big names again. Wanker.