Don’t Talk to Michael Bisping About The UFC Doing More Super Fights in 2020

In the last couple of years, fighters repeatedly called for super fights and champions pursued titles in multiple divisions. But, with 2020 underway, Michael Bisping is calling for the UFC to move forward with more, traditional, matchmaking.

Bisping is sick of super fights

Ever since Conor McGregor became a champ-champ in 2016 by winning the UFC’s lightweight title, and he faced Floyd Mayweather in a massive, boxing match in 2017, talk about super fights has spiked. Not only have other fighters called for bouts with boxing stars, we’ve seen the likes of Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo also become champ-champs. Unlike with McGregor, however, those fighters were allowed to move forward while holding two belts.

Well, during a recent episode of the “Believe You Me” podcast, Bisping had this to say about his hopes for 2020 (quote via BJ Penn.com):

“I’m sick of all this talk of super fights, if I’m honest,” Bisping said. “I want to see the champions defending the belts. All of this jumping around… I think last year and the year before, it all got a little silly.”

“Going forward, I feel like the UFC aren’t going to be too quick to make those super fights anymore,” Bisping said. “Cause whilst they do capture the imagination of the public, [the UFC is] just stripping Henry Cejudo of the 125 [pound belt]. It’s going to be Joseph Benavidez taking on [Deiveson] Figueiredo for the vacant flyweight title. That’s what they’ve got to do. The only real double-champ that’s left now is Amanda Nunes, and even her, she’s having trouble finding challenges at at 145 [pounds]. I feel the only reason she hasn’t been stripped [of that belt] yet is there isn’t anyone at ’45 to take her place.

Does Bisping have a point?

Now, there’s no question that watching fighters like Cejudo, Cormier and Nunes also make history by winning titles in multiple divisions was compelling. Further, watching Georges St-Pierre return in 2017 and win the middleweight belt by choking out Bisping was also pretty memorable.

But, based off what’s happened in more recent months, it’s hard to argue with Bisping here. The flyweight division was stalled out due to Cejudo’s championship run at 135, and eventually, he had to vacate the belt.  Prior to that, Cormier dropped the light-heavyweight title so he could focus on defending the heavyweight title (although in that case, the division’s championship wasn’t held up that much).

So, it will be interesting to see how the UFC proceeds in this respect moving forward. For example, recently Dana White has put the brakes on talk about 205 champion Jon Jones moving to heavyweight. This could be an indication that the UFC is going to be more selective about having champions fight for titles in other divisions.

That said, if say, McGregor were to reclaim the lightweight title and he targets the 170 belt, it’s hard to imagine the UFC passing on that.