Unlike Saturday’s main event between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans, there is no underlying "outside of the Octagon" storyline for the co-featured bout between middleweight standouts Michael “The Count” Bisping and Dan Miller.

They aren’t fighting for the opportunity to challenge the champion. They aren’t heated rivals. And they certainly aren’t expert trash talkers. Bisping has a sharp tongue for sure, but nothing like Jackson and Evans.

So what is the deal? Why are we focused on the matchup in the days leading up to the event?

Because this fight is huge for both combatants.  read more »

Lots of guys talk trash in the months, weeks and days leading up to a fight. The banter helps sell the bout to the public, and some of those combatants actually have real bad blood between them.

Count Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans among those few because these guys genuinely dislike each other. Anyone who watched even a single episode of tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter witnessed the deep-seeded animosity that exists between the two former champions. The pair routinely came within a whisper of throwing down on the set, something that would have been disastrous in the bigger picture. Yet, those close calls and the nonstop, venom-laden trash talking have built up the anticipation for Saturday’s matchup into a foamy, palpable lather.  read more »

UFC middleweight contender, Michael Bisping has given his thoughts on the antics of 185 pound champion, Anderson Silva last month, saying he wouldn’t allow “The Spider” to get away with mocking him inside the octagon.

Speaking via ESPN.co.uk, Bisping said:

“I think everyone wants to fight Anderson Silva off the back of the Demian Maia fight – I want to fight him after that!”

“If he tried that s**t with me he’d get a toe-punt right on the chin! I couldn’t understand it. I suppose it was a bit disrespectful to start with and, to be honest, I thought Demian Maia won the last two rounds. When it came to the decision I wasn’t sure, you’re never sure, Demian might have stolen it.”

Bisping then gave his thoughts on the situation fellow Brit, Paul Daley finds himself in following a post fight incident, admitting he didn’t think the fighter would be cut from the roster.  read more »