"I had one f****** eye" - Michael Bisping to critics claiming he had beaten Anderson Silva who was past his prime
Michael Bisping has dismissed claims that his win against Anderson Silva was because the Brazilian legend was past his prime. At the time of the fight, Bisping himself was only a day away from turning 37. He was also keen to remind everyone that he had only one working eye.
In a recent video posted to his YouTube channel, 'The Count' said:
"When I fought Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman was the only person to beat him... For me in my mind, this is still Anderson Silva, a dangerous Anderson Silva."
In 2013, 'The Count' suffered a headkick and subsequent punches from Vitor Belfort that ended up detatching the retina in his right eye. Amazingly, Bisping managed to continue his fighting career. More shockingly, he appeared in the octagon just three months later to defeat Alan Belcher.
Bisping revisited the fight that ended up being one of the most important of his career. Just months after his victory over Anderson Silva, he found himself sharing the cage with then-champion Luke Rockhold in a title bout.
The Englishman said about his fight with Silva:
"If you want to talk about being in your prime, what about me? I was 37 years old and I had one f****** eye!"
Michael Bisping went on to beat Rockhold and become the middleweight champion with only one functional eye. 'The Count' then defended the belt against Dan Henderson before losing it in a superfight to the returning Georges St-Pierre in 2017. Bisping eventually retired after a knockout loss to Kelvin Gastelum.
Watch the full video of Michael Bisping and his thoughts on his fight with Anderson Silva:
Michael Bisping vs. Jake Paul a possibility?
Nearly five years have passed since Michael Bisping last stepped foot in the octagon. A regular now in the commentary booth, it seemed as if his fighting days were over. That was until Jake Paul called out the former champion.
The two men have been going back and forth on social media, with Bisping seemingly ready and waiting to hand 'The Problem Child' his first professional loss. Jake Paul has also continually voiced his dislike of Dana White and fighter pay in the UFC, which has led Bisping to respond.
'The Count' has called Paul out on this, stating that the YouTuber-turned-boxer is just seeking attention. He also wrote on Twitter that one has to earn respect in the world of MMA, which Bisping feels the Cleveland native will never do.
yeah yeah, listen One eye, two eyes. I won a world championship and more importantly the respect of the fight community. Sadly little jakey, that’s 2 things you’ll NEVER do. Ever. Let that sink in. twitter.com/jakepaul/statu…
😂👀 yeah yeah, listen One eye, two eyes. I won a world championship and more importantly the respect of the fight community. Sadly little jakey, that’s 2 things you’ll NEVER do. Ever. Let that sink in. twitter.com/jakepaul/statu…
Jake Paul has requested proof that the former champion is no longer employed as a fighter in the UFC. If Bisping is free to fight, Paul has promised to put an offer on the table. Fans have called for the boxer to challenge anyone who hasn't retired, and Bisping himself has suggested Anderson Silva as an opponent. Since leaving the UFC, 'The Spider' has transitioned to professional boxing.