Rockhold: GSP won't fight top contenders if he wins 185-lb title

The ripple effect of Georges St-Pierre's title shot against middleweight champion Michael Bisping is making its way through the rest of the division.

Former UFC titleholder Luke Rockhold is one of several contenders at 185 pounds to be pushed aside in favor of the returning GSP. He told Submission Radio that he believes St-Pierre defeating Bisping would be disastrous for his own chances of reclaiming gold.

Following a massive upset win over Rockhold last June to win the title, Bisping hasn't been booked against any of the elite middleweights, and Rockhold thinks the situation will be the same with St-Pierre.

"(St-Pierre is) not gonna fight one of the top contenders, I guarantee you that," Rockhold said, according to Mookie Alexander of Bloody Elbow. "He won't fight one, he won't fight two, and he won't fight three, guarantee it."

Rockhold has not fought since losing to Bisping. An injury knocked him out of a high-profile rematch with Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza this past November, and he now aims to return in July - but without knowing who he's fighting and what the implications are, since he's in the dark with everyone else when it comes to the UFC's matchmaking.

"Unfortunate that they took the route they took," Rockhold said. "I understand the business and I understand what they're doing but I don't think they're really thinking ahead in making this fight. I think there's a lot of better options other than tying up the division and making this thing happen.

"I don't think Bisping's a draw. He hasn't proven to be a draw, so what's the point of putting GSP in there with him, a man that's never obviously fought at middleweight and has been out for three years? I think him (GSP) and Nick Diaz, I think him and Anderson Silva, I think there's a lot of other fights that make the money they need and then sells that without doing what they had to do."