Michael Bisping silences fan criticism after dropping three-fold title prediction for Conor McGregor: "I am stating the facts"
Michael Bisping recently provided his prediction for Conor McGregor's potential shot at three titles in the UFC. McGregor is set to make his return to the octagon at UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He will square off against Michael Chandler in a five-round, 170-pound bout.
McGregor has previously declared his intention to compete for the welterweight title, potentially facing the winner of Leon Edwards' title defense against Belal Muhammad, which is set to take place at UFC 304 in July. The Irishman now has three opportunities to capture UFC gold, as BMF champion Max Holloway and current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev have both stated their willingness to face McGregor.
Bisping recently discussed McGrergor's current scenario in a video posted on his YouTube channel. According to him, the former two-division champion would be eligible for three different titles with a win over Chandler. He said:
''There's three title fights available for Conor McGregor.''
Bisping added:
''F**kin hell, he comes back after three years, breaks his leg, becomes a movie star and now he can fight for not one, two, but three different belts.''
Check out Michael Bisping's full comments below:
Following this, Bisping was asked why he was backing McGregor. In response, the Brit said:
"I’m not. I am stating the facts of the situation. As a multiple time award winning analyst of the sport I can tell you that these are the facts."
McGregor has not competed in the UFC since suffering a leg injury during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. He resumed full-contact training in 2023 after a lengthy hiatus due to surgeries and rehabilitation.
Given that the two faced off as coaches in season 31 of 'The Ultimate Fighter', McGregor was expected to face Chandler before the end of 2023. Their fight was called off for a variety of reasons, including McGregor's troubles with USADA.
McGregor is 2-3 in his last five fights, losing two straight against Poirier. Chandler, on the other hand, lost to Poirier at UFC 281. He was defeated via submission in Round 3.
Michael Bisping's take on Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight
Michael Bisping has urged Michael Chandler not to underestimate Conor McGregor ahead of their fight. Following UFC 300, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed McGregor's return to the octagon against Chandler at UFC 303.
Bisping shared his thoughts on the fight on his YouTube channel following the announcement. When breaking down the fight, 'The Count' emphasized how long both guys had been out of the ring and warned Chandler not to undervalue McGregor.
''He [Chandler] has to respect what McGregor is going to do and the threat coming back at him. Three years away [For McGregor] it will affect timing, it will affect speed...Three years is a long time. I do think a few things will be off but power is the last thing to go.''
Check out Michael Bisping's comments below (2:51):