Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping suggested that Dustin Poirier should fight for the title against Islam Makhachev, sparking backlash from Justin Gaethje, who is already scheduled to fight Max Holloway at UFC 300.
Michael Bisping, the former middleweight champ, isn’t shy about sharing his thoughts. But he’s not the decision-maker for UFC.
He recently suggested that Dustin Poirier could be up for a title fight against Islam Makhachev. This came after Poirier’s knockout victory over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. Justin Gaethje, however, wasn’t too thrilled with Bisping’s suggestion.
Gaethje, who knocked out Poirier last July, fired back on social media. He tweeted, “Bisping talking bollocks”.
Bisping clarified that he doesn’t have any sway over UFC’s decisions about title fights. He also reminded Gaethje that he’s already booked for a fight against Max Holloway at UFC 300. So, a fight against Makhachev isn’t on the cards for him right now.
Bisping told MMA Fighting, “I’m not the matchmaker. I was just throwing it out there saying, wow, with that performance and the way that fight went down with Dustin Poirier, I see a reason and why he might get that opportunity.”
He added, “But the main reason I said that was because Justin Gaethje is fighting a featherweight. So right now, you’re booked up.”
Bisping also noted that Makhachev is keen to stay active. He’s still aiming to fight three times this year. If Gaethje wasn’t already booked to fight Holloway, Bisping would have backed him for a fight against Makhachev.
“But he’s booked, simple as that. And guess what? You’re fighting someone that isn’t named Islam Makhachev. You’re fighting someone that isn’t even a 155er. That’s just the landscape that we’re in because of a contract that he signed. Nothing to do with me,” Bisping said.
When it comes to UFC title fights, timing often beats rankings. This could be a major hurdle for Gaethje’s path back to a championship. There are rumors that Makhachev could potentially fight as early as UFC 302 on June 1 or possibly UFC 303 on June 29.
With Gaethje set to face Holloway in a five-round showdown, it’s likely that both fighters will need time to recover. The idea of fighting again as soon as six weeks later seems far-fetched. But hey, anything is possible in this game.
Bisping stands by his suggestion that Poirier could get a shot at the title. He’s healthy, ready, and doesn’t have a fight booked.
Bisping said, “I kind of just threw [Dustin Poirier getting a title shot] out there — maybe he should fight Islam. Because Justin is fighting Max Holloway. Yeah, sure, Justin should be next but it’s not guaranteed that [first] Justin wins — he probably will most likely, but you can’t underestimate Max, and secondly, you can’t guarantee that he’s not going to be banged up, he’s not going to have an injury, he’s not going to need a little bit of time off.”
He added, “So I think Justin, if he wins, of course he’s the guy, but in the interim, if he’s not well enough or because he’s already got a fight lined up, put in Dustin Poirier. Because I think everybody would love to see that and I think Islam wants to be busy.”
Gaethje’s bigger issue might be UFC CEO Dana White’s statement. White declared that a separate lightweight fight at UFC 300 between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan would determine the next No. 1 contender in the division.
Bisping understands that this is a good problem for the division to have. There’s a growing list of potential candidates to challenge Makhachev. It doesn’t make things any easier for Gaethje, but that’s just how the sport goes sometimes.
Bisping explained, “Charles Oliveira-Arman Tsarukyan, they’re still the No. 1 contender, they’re still the next guy. Let’s just say Dustin does fight [Islam]. If Justin wins, Justin is next and then the winner of Arman Tsarukyan-Charles Oliveira, they solidify their spot as the next guy. The problem is in this sport, they might have to wait around for a little bit, and if you wait on the sidelines, sometimes you get forgotten about.”
He added, “I guess the reality is in hindsight, maybe — I don’t mean this as any kind of insult at all — maybe Justin shouldn’t have taken that fight against Max. If he hadn’t taken that, I think without a shadow of a doubt, he would be next. But he wants to stay busy, he wants to stay active. He wants to take on the legendary Max Holloway, so good for him.”
At the end of the day, Bisping can’t predict what the UFC will decide. He can only give his opinion and suggest what makes the most sense. But the final decision about Gaethje’s future lies with White and the UFC authorities.
Bisping said, “Justin, f****** relax, I’m a fan of your work. I didn’t mean any disrespect and I wish him all the best and he deserves a f****** title fight. But right now you’re booked against Max Holloway, and until that business is done and until you know that you’re healthy, you’re not going to get booked in another fight. That goes for all of them.”
He added, “People think I have all the answers and I know all the inside information. I’m just a knucklehead from England that’s still lucky enough to have a job. I show up, I do my job and I give my opinions. It doesn’t mean those opinions are true.”