Romero chides Bisping: Next fight will be for title 'whether interim or not'
Yoel Romero is humbly standing on the sidelines - for now.
The UFC's top-ranked middleweight was expected to challenge reigning champion Michael Bisping until Georges St-Pierre returned to the promotion on a four-fight deal earlier this year, and while he's opted to bide his time and field whatever shade Bisping's thrown his way, Romero isn't returning to the Octagon for anything less than a title shot.
"I have learned to be patient," Romero told FloCombat's Duane Finley via a translator. "I will only fight for a title whomever that may be. Whether interim or not, my next fight will only be for the title."
Even after agreeing to welcome GSP back to the UFC later this year, the Brit has repeatedly rubbed the six-month USADA-sanctioned ban Romero served last year in his face, but "Soldier of God" hasn't taken his rival's barbs lying down. While Bisping has deemed the surging Robert Whittaker a far more worthy challenger than Romero, the Cuban sees the champ equally ill-suited for his throne.
"I find it humorous the so-called champ can't fight who and when he wants to. He speaks of a code that we are to follow. There is a code that champions fight and defend their title against the best competition. He doesn't do that and doesn't follow the code. He is no champion in the eyes of the people or colleagues."
The 39-year-old claims UFC president Dana White has anointed him the challenger-in-waiting, but suspects that even if he sweetens the pot to get Bisping to finally share the Octagon with him, the brash champ is now at the mercy of St-Pierre beyond closed doors.
"Maybe if I buy him a six- ... no, a 12-pack of beer and tell him I won't take him down, or maybe if I tell him I will only take him down it will happen. Who knows? Dana and my management have said I am next and I believe that I am. It doesn't matter what Bisping says as we can see he isn't the one calling the shots. It's GSP."
Romero mounted a division-best eight-fight win streak prior to being put on standby, and when asked which of the six stoppages he accrued over the run was the crown jewel, he chose his flying knee KO of Chris Weidman, if only because it put him in line to clash with the much maligned Bisping.
"I think my last one is the most impressive. It was the way to face the one-eyed drunk."