UFC pull the plug on Bisping’s title fight with St-Pierre
MICHAEL Bisping’s UFC middleweight title fight with Georges St-Pierre is off.
Bisping, from Manchester, was due to defend his belt against the Canadian later this year, and the two men had a well-documented press conference to announce the fight back in March.
It was hoped the fight would take place in Las Vegas in July, but former welterweight champion St-Pierre has repeatedly insisted he would not be willing to fight until late 2017, putting the rest of the middleweight division on hold.
He revealed earlier this week that November was his proposed fight date, but UFC president Dana White says that plans have now changed and Bisping vs St-Pierre won’t now happen.
“I made this St-Pierre fight, we did a press conference. The thing was supposed to happen in July. Michael Bisping is going to have to defend his title now. We’re not waiting for St-Pierre,” said White.
“Georges St-Pierre was coming back. Bisping and St-Pierre both wanted that fight, but he is saying he will not be ready to compete now until November.
“Who knows if that’s even the case? It could be next year. We’re not waiting for Georges St-Pierre anymore.”
St-Pierre hasn’t fought since defeating Johny Hendricks in November 2013 after taking a break from the sport, vacating his UFC welterweight title in the process.
The 35-year-old had held the belt for nearly five years when he decided to take time away, beating rivals Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, B.J Penn, Jake Shields and Matt Hughes along the way to give him a record of 25 wins and just two defeats.
With St-Pierre now seemingly out of the title picture, White has revealed that the title shot against Bisping will instead go to Yoel Romero, who was originally announced as the number one contender before having to step aside so the UFC could make the Bisping vs St-Pierre fight.
“Yoel doesn’t need to voice his opinion on why he needs a title shot. He definitely deserves a title shot. He’s next in line, he’s the number one ranked guy in the world,” said White.
“We asked Yoel to step aside and he did, but it doesn’t look like the St-Pierre fight is going to happen now so we’re moving on with the division and Yoel Romero will get the next shot.”
Romero’s last fight came in November when he knocked out former champion Chris Weidman to extend his record to 13 wins and just one defeat.
Bisping hasn’t fought since he successfully defended his middleweight title by defeating Dan Henderson by unanimous decision at the Manchester Arena back in October.