Bisping and Rockhold go head to head on conference call

The long running beef between perennial middleweight contender Michael Bisping and former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold will finally be put to bed in two weeks time when the rivals fight in Sydney, Australia at UFC Fight Night 55. The pair have been at each-other’s throats for over a year and got one last opportunity to have a go this Tuesday in a UFC media conference call and, as luck would have it, they obliged in doing just that.

Rockhold threw the first attack as he said; “I don’t believe I’m taking a risk in this fight, it’s another good chance to showcase my skill-set.”

When asked about the, now infamous, Bisping comment on getting the better of him in training Rockhold remarked; “It’s definitely a bonus to shut his mouth on that note… I’m looking forward to shutting him up. He just seems to not be a nice, genuine guy. I’ve heard a lot of bad things about him from people. It seems like he’s a prick to many people”

Bisping quickly responded; “Luke, I don’t know you, I don’t care for you. We haven’t shared a single proper conversation so you’re basing your facts on absolute fresh air. You don’t know me, you don’t know me as a person so kiss my fucking arse you lanky piece of shit. I’ll see you in Australia you arsehole and we’ll put it all to bed then.”

“I’m not too emotional,” Rockhold testified as he tried to keep his calm when answering the next question. “If you want to see me emotional go back and look at the [Vitor] Belfort fight.. I’m very comfortable and relaxed [for this fight.] I’m prepared, I’m better than I ever have been.”

In a similar fashion Bisping noted; “Anything Luke Rockhold says doesn’t get to me. I’m going down here to take care of business. Luke Rockhold is not someone I care about, not someone I obsess about, not someone I think of. I’m here to do my job. I get to shut this guy up in the process.. that’s a bonus.”

It wasn’t over there though as the pair went back and forth over an altercation that occurred between Bisping’s father and Rockhold in Macao with Bisping concluding it by saying; “I’m going to punish you for it next weekend.”

“I don’t like the guy…I’m going to voice my opinion and sell the fight.” Rockhold reminded us again before he had yet another go and accused Bisping of “Not enjoying fighting” to which the Brit responded; “I was born to fight.”

On the fight itself Bisping had plenty to say; “I think that once he steps in there he will realise it’s not as easy as he is forecasting it to be. This is MMA, not boxing or kick-boxing. I think he is looking at the Tim Kennedy loss and will look to take me down and hold me down. I think he’s underestimating my wrestling and takedown defence thinking he can expose an apparent weakness there. I will prove otherwise on the night. This isn’t the walk in the park he thinks it’s going to be.”

Rockhold childishly responded; “The difference between me and Michael and our fighting skill is the same as the difference between our beards – I’m just more of a man than him.” To which Bisping answered back; “Good on you Luke, well done, you’ve got more pubes on your face.”

UFC Fight Night 55: Rockhold vs. Bisping will take place at the Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia on November 8, 2014 and is an event filled with close match-ups. Check out the full card below.

Main card (UFC Fight Pass)
Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping
Ross Pearson vs. Al Iaquinta
Robert Whittaker vs. Clint Hester
Soa Palelei vs. Walt Harris

Preliminary card (UFC Fight Pass)
Jake Matthews vs. Vagner Rocha
Anthony Perosh vs. Guto Inocente
Dylan Andrews vs. Sam Alvey
Vik Grujic vs. Chris Clements
Richie Vaculik vs. Louis Smolka
Luke Zachrich vs. Daniel Kelly
Jumabieke Tuerxun vs. Marcus Brimage
Aljamain Sterling vs. TBD

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