Michael Bisping:
Like Woodley, Bisping has a lot to prove to shake off the cobwebs of a recent loss that was fueled by trash talk. After returning from surgery for a detached retina and engaging in a long war of words with rising middleweight Tim Kennedy, “The Count” faltered in their TUF Nations Finale main event bout.
Kennedy outwrestled him for the majority of the boring affair, signifying that Bisping’s days as a top middleweight may be in the past.
Facing Cung Le in the main event of UFC Fight Night 48, Bisping was given an opponent who will most likely stand and strike with him. Action star Le has also been out of the Octagon since a 2012 knockout of Rich Franklin, meaning this bout should be a much easier one for Bisping, at least on paper.
But the pressure is still on Bisping to perform in Macau, as a loss with likely relegate him to high-level gatekeeper status for the rest of his career. He’s largely failed to beat all of the truly elite opponents he’s faced in UFC, making his match-up with Le an absolutely pivotal one.
Keep an eye on “the Count” this weekend.
