Two possible fights ruled out for Bisping --> Munoz-Maia set for UFC131

Swick was in contention for a title shot before facing Hardy, he was set to face Martin Kampmann in a #1 contenders match before he got injured and then Kampmann got sparked out against Daley, that's when Swick and Hardy got paired together. I think Swick is a over rated though to be fair, although I think Akiyama is highly over rated as well, who is arguably Bisping's biggest win to date, although I think both Swick and Akiyama were ranked in the same sort of position in their divisions at the time of each fight. I think to say that Hardy has faced a lot higher competition than Bisping is a bit unfair, and it has to be based on just personal feelings for a fighter to claim that.

Sheldan wrote: I think to say that Hardy has faced a lot higher competition than Bisping is a bit unfair, and it has to be based on just personal feelings for a fighter to claim that.

Hardy has fought; Pat Healy (lost), Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Akihiro Gono, Marcus Davis, Mike Swick, Georges St-Pierre (lost), Carlos Condit (lost) and soon will fight Rumble Johnson.


Bisping has fought; Matt Hamill (lost), Rashad Evans (lost), Chris Leben, Dan Henderson (lost), Wanderlei Silva (lost) and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

The_Axe_Emperor wrote:

Sheldan wrote: I think to say that Hardy has faced a lot higher competition than Bisping is a bit unfair, and it has to be based on just personal feelings for a fighter to claim that.

Hardy has fought; Pat Healy (lost), Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Akihiro Gono, Marcus Davis, Mike Swick, Georges St-Pierre (lost), Carlos Condit (lost) and soon will fight Rumble Johnson.


Bisping has fought; Matt Hamill (lost), Rashad Evans (lost), Chris Leben, Dan Henderson (lost), Wanderlei Silva (lost) and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

You can't say Bisping lost to Hamill and then say that Hardy beat Davis and Gono which were questionable split decision wins as well. The record books say that Bisping beat Hamill, as dubious as it was, it stands. Plus Hardy lost to Yoshida as well as the others mentioned, he got disqualifed. That leaves Mike Swick for who Hardy has convincingly beat, and Chris Leben and Yoshihiro Akiyama for who Bisping has convincingly beat, the same caliber of competition if you ask me.

I'm not trying to take anything away from Hardy, I love the guy, but I just can't see how it can be argued that he has beaten much higher competition than Bisping, when it's obvious people are just basing their views on their opinion on Bisping as a person.

Sheldan wrote:
You can't say Bisping lost to Hamill and then say that Hardy beat Davis and Gono which were questionable split decision wins as well.

Yes i can, Bisping CLEARLY lost to Hamill, one of the biggest robberies in MMA history, and univerally recognised as such. Hardy beat Davis in a close match, granted it could have gone either way but it went to Hardy, therefore he won. And he beat Gono convincingly IMO, he was landing bombs all night on Gono who did well to keep bringing it.

Sheldan wrote:
Plus Hardy lost to Yoshida as well as the others mentioned, he got disqualifed.

He lost because of an accidental groin strike, he wasn't beaten, but he lost the match on a technicality. Similar to Bones- Hamill, he shouldn't be shat on for the loss and Yoshida shouldn't be praised for the win. The result is besides the point anyway because i wasn't really focusing on the results of the fights, rather the fighters the two had fought.

The_Axe_Emperor wrote:The result is besides the point anyway because i wasn't really focusing on the results of the fights, rather the fighters the two had fought.

Well other than GSP I don't really see much difference in the fighters the two have fought, so I don't really see what your point is meant to be

In fact what am i saying, of course the results are important.


Hardy has fought 4 top ten fighters, beating two and losing to two.

Bisping has fought 2, arguably 3 (Was Rashad top 10?) and lost to them all.

The_Axe_Emperor wrote:In fact what am i saying, of course the results are important.


Hardy has fought 4 top ten fighters, beating two and losing to two.

Bisping has fought 2, arguably 3 (Was Rashad top 10?) and lost to them all.

Woah woah woah, what?!? .. I didn't see anybody rank Condit top 10 before he beat Hardy, he's top 10 now, but at the time of the fight, I didn't see anybody rank him top 10. Swick was possibly lower end of top 10/just outside of the top 10 at the time of the fight so i'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that one. Obviously there is GSP, but I don't know who you're claiming the other top 10 fighter that Hardy has faced was?

Then yeah, i'd say Bisping has arguably fought 3 top ten fighters, although that was Wanderlei's first fight at 185 and he was coming off 1-5 so even though i'm defending Bisping i'd arguably say that Wanderlei maybe shouldn't have been ranked top 10. Henderson was like #3 MW when he sparked out Bisping and I think Rashad would have been lower end of top 10 at the time of the fight, maybe just outside, i'm not sure. Leben and Akiyama were just outside the top 10 at the time of their fights with Bisping as well.

I don't see that much difference in the caliber of opponents the two have faced.

Sheldan wrote:
Woah woah woah, what?!? .. I didn't see anybody rank Condit top 10 before he beat Hardy, he's top 10 now, but at the time of the fight, I didn't see anybody rank him top 10.

He was 25-5, with 10 wins out of a possible 11, and only lost a razor thin split decision to Martin Kampmann. If he wasn't top 10, he bloody should've been.

Sheldan wrote:
I don't know who you're claiming the other top 10 fighter that Hardy has faced was

Marcus Davis was 16-4 with 13 wins out of a possible 14, and his only loss was a close one to Swick.

Sheldan wrote:
Then yeah, i'd say Bisping has arguably fought 3 top ten fighters, although that was Wanderlei's first fight at 185 and he was coming off 1-5 so even though i'm defending Bisping i'd arguably say that Wanderlei maybe shouldn't have been ranked top 10.

Okay then, thats one less top 10 fighter he's fought. 2 top tens fought, 2 top tens lost to.

Marcus Davis top 10? That's brilliant.

Sheldan wrote:Marcus Davis top 10? That's brilliant.

A 13-1 run with wins over Carter, Taylor, Kelly and Lytle.


EDIT: He was borderline.


http://www.sherdog.com/news/rankings/5/Sherdog-Official-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Rankings-18004

borderline I will accept, seeing how I also found those same rankings myself haha

Carlos Condit was certainly top 10.

While there are a number of reasons for people to dislike Bisping, what I don't understand is why people think that others should support him just because they share the same nationality as him, which seems to be the case here and on a lot of other forums.

I am not against a little bit of patriotism, as I am the first to throw support behind the few NZ fighters that make the big time, but I wouldn't let patriotism be the ONLY reason to support someone. Why anyone would want to support someone who makes fun of disabled people and spits at people is beyond me, oh that's right he's British. It's almost as bad as the nobs who chant "USA USA" at some UFC events....

Thank you Gin! That's what I've been saying all this time, why would you support a guy who is a dick, a pretty average fighter and he's pretty boring as well? Just because he's English? Surely that's more reason to dislike him because he's a poor representation of the country. Michael Bisping, if he wasn't a fighter is the kind of person I could see ending up on the Jeremy Kyle show. Ok slight exaggeration, but you get the point.

MMA isn't a team sport, when Bisping fights Henderson it shouldn't be classified as England vs the USA. When it comes to Rugby or Football, I support England with a passion. It's not the same in MMA. Would you ever feel inclined to listen to the Spice Girls or Bring me the Horizon because there English? I certainly don't.

Anyway, I beleive Evans was outside the top 10 when he fought Bisping. If I remember correctly, that was a fight where the winner entered the top 10.