SILVA KEEPS EYE ON THE BISPING BATTLE

THERE will be one very interested spectator when Mr Bisping steps into the Octagon next Saturday night with Sexyama in London.

Wanderlei Silva, PRIDE legend and UFC middleweight warrior will have a keen eye on proceedings.

“The Axe Murderer” was scheduled to fight Akiyama himself at 116 before a knee injury sidelined him, requiring surgery, but the great Brazilian got in touch with FT this week and told us he’s on the mend.

Good news for his army of fans, but maybe not for Mr Leben, who upset Akiyama with a virtuoso third round triangle at 116.

The feat was made all the more impressive because the Crippler replaced Wandy at a mere two weeks notice, after he had already fought in July!

Wand tells us: “I’m thinking this will be a great match. Bisping has very good cardio and is a great opponent. I am feeling great.

“Maybe I’ll return in March. I want to fight Leben. This would be a great fight for me. He would not last the first round.”


Neither gentleman is averse to standing and banging, but the only person to leave Leben unconscious in the first five minutes is one Anderson Silva, middleweight champ.

Wand dropped to middleweight, with a razor-thin decision win over Mike Bisping in January, but his eyes don’t seem to be on “The Spider.”

“Anderson is my friend. I don’t want to fight him.” says Wand.

However, he still wants to take on Sexyama.

“I really trained hard for the fight against Akiyama,” he says. “It was on my birthday, in my hometown.

“The experience would have been incredible. His match with Leben was incredible. I would like to fight Akiyama one day.”

Wand is here for a series of seminars in the UK, where anyone with a taste for a bit of action can learn from the great man.

He’s here in the week leading up to the UFC show, and he cannot wait, telling me: “The seminars involve all aspects of MMA.

“Striking, jiu-jitsu and instruction. I am very thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to visit all the gyms and fans there in England.

“I am very happy for this moment for me and my family. Thanks, my friends!”

The chance to learn from a legend! Who could possibly resist!

Im going to the seminar in Belfast this tuesday! Ill post a few pics of me mauling him in a thai clinch!

you should ask him to visit the forum, i wonder if he will speak broken english at the seminar or will he have a translator.

Im sure he will speak english but with my Belfast accent I seriously think I will need to bring a translator to talk to him! Cant wait to meet him, just hope my cardio holds up for a 3 hour session after so long off training!

Im going to ask him does he really still have the Saku belt!

Should be great Ben,look forward to seeing some of your pics.

Do you think Wandi will actaully be demonstrating anything or will it just be him talking?(which will still be fantastic,to listen to what one of your heroes has to say)
I'm just saying that since I'm not sure how far he is with his rehab,it seems doubtfull he would be able to do much,since the last footage we saw of him,he was only just barely walking with his cane.

yeah i forgot its bens hero. ben make sure you take full advantage of the whole time there. i remember when i met my hero micheal schumacher it was amazing from seeing them on tv in awe to being there talking to them is somethng special. i hope you enjoy it.

Michael Bisping: 'Maybe in the Past I Didn't Truly Believe' I Could Be Champ

Michael Bisping may not be a fan favorite in the US, but few would argue that the British star tends to be among the most interesting interviews in the sport. His brash style combined with a willingness to engage in mental warfare with opponents makes him among the most quoteworthy fighters around.

Now 31 years old and with experience to grow on, Bisping feels he's finally graduated to a maturity level that can move him to elite status. It's to the point where he's comfortable enough turning his words on himself. Take Thursday for instance, when the middleweight contender was asked about making a run at the UFC championship, and he answered with typical directness, and a serious dose of self-reflection.

"I've been talking about it a bit recently," he said. "Obviously in the past I've talked about wanting to be the champion, being the world champ. It's ironic. Maybe in the past I didn't truly believe it. I was just saying it because it's the thing you're supposed to say. But now everything's coming together.

"I feel I'm really maturing as a fighter," he said moments later. "I've got the experience under my belt. My skills are all coming together. I'm understanding the game a lot more. I've got the confidence back where I need to be. And I truly believe now I can make a run at the title."

Bisping (19-3), who will face Japanese fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 120 on October 16 in London, will be aiming to win a second straight fight after topping Dan Miller via judges decision at UFC 114.

It's a modest streak, but while the record books show he split his last four fights, Bisping said he doesn't feel that way at all.

"Other than the Henderson fight and a bulls--- decision to Wanderlei Silva, I don't think I've lost at middleweight," he said. "I got beat by Dan Henderson and that's it. I feel I won the fight against Wanderlei. Other than Dan Henderson, I've never been beat at middleweight. So I feel I've got a path to the title. I'm one of the better athletes in there. I've got to walk the walk. It's all well and good me sitting here talking about it, but people don't want to hear that, they want to see results. And I plan to deliver on Oct. 16."

Bisping says some of his newfound maturity comes from the Henderson loss at UFC 100, when he was brutally knocked out. At the time, he was 3-0 as a middleweight and rapidly nearing contender status in the division.

"In hindsight that was the best thing that could've happened to me," he said. "It made me go away and work hard on the mistakes I was making."

While Bisping is never at a loss for words, he had nothing negative to say about his opponent, Akiyama (13-2, 2 no contests), who is coming off a third-round triangle choke loss to Chris Leben in a back-and-forth bout at UFC 116.

Ironically, Leben is a common opponent for both fighters, and while Akiyama lost to him, Bisping beat him by decision at UFC 89. Still, Bisping looks past the history and to the specific way he matches up Akiyama in predicting the fight's path.

"I looked at Akiyama and the way he fights and I'm positive I can beat him," he said. "I'm improving all the time. I'm a much better fighter than what I was one year ago. I feel I'm maturing and coming into my peak as a mixed martial artist. I'm not overlooking Akiyama. I think he's a very tough opponent and I'm sure it's going to be a great fight. I'm expecting him to come in hard and fast looking for the knockout."

Ultimately, of course Bisping expects to prevail in front of his home country fans. Over 17,000 are expected to be in the 02, and Bisping plans to ride the surge of momentum to victory and beyond.

"Right now I'm focusing on Akiyama. It's going to be a tough fight and I've got the utmost respect for him," he said. "After the fight, fingers crossed, God willing I beat him, I just want to fight ... I feel I'm in my prime now. I'd like to avenge the loss to Wanderlei. I feel I beat him on that night. I'd love to fight him again, but if it's not going to be him, whether it's Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen's out, I don't care who it is. Whoever the top dog is out there that wants the belt, I want to beat them and then fight for the title."

http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/10/07/michael-bisping-maybe-in-the-past-i-didnt-truly-believe-i-co/

im a big bisping fan and for once im glad he is being respectful. if he gets past akiyama who will be next. i dont personally think he is near a title shot yet.