Bisping wants to give Whittaker title shot over 'scumbag' Romero
Michael Bisping has made shaking up the middleweight title picture his favorite pastime.
After the divisional champ watched Robert Whittaker emerge as a legitimate contender with a stunning finish of Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza last week, he sung the 26-year-old's praises on his "Believe You Me" podcast Tuesday. "The Count" went as far as anointing Whittaker his next challenger - once he's through with Georges St-Pierre - if only to keep the top-ranked Yoel Romero from getting his long-awaited title shot.
"Yoel Romero is a dirty, lying, cheating scumbag. If you want to do Whittaker after I've beaten GSP, we can," Bisping said, according to MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew. "If not, I'll do Romero. But I see Robert as a more worthy contender. He stopped Jacare, Romero didn't stop Jacare. And Robert hasn't tested positive for steroids, so really I think it should be Robert next.
"Let's officially now start the campaign that after I beat GSP, it should be Robert Whittaker. Robert Whittaker vs. Michael Bisping because - okay, maybe there's a case that he's the most worthy contender - but more importantly, just to f--k with Yoel Romero. He is the only fight I will take after Georges St-Pierre."
Aside from the satisfaction he'd gain from snubbing Romero, Bisping admitted a date with a purebred striker in Whittaker would make for a far more convenient matchup than one with the Cuban, an Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling.
"I just think, all those things together, Robert Whittaker, okay, admittedly, way better matchup for me stylistically, but facts are facts and I think he should be the No. 1 contender."
With his long-announced bout with St-Pierre still dateless, the champ added Whittaker would have to extend his win streak to eight to earn a title shot, preferably in a fight with Luke Rockhold, the man Bisping KO'd to win the belt last June.
"Listen, I'm fighting GSP sometime this year so he's gonna have to fight again in the meantime and I think Rockhold would be a great matchup. But it all depends if Rockhold shows up."