Michael Bisping is open to ending his combat sports retirement by fighting old rival Luke Rockhold in Karate Combat, and it seems the interest is mutual.
Michael Bisping holds a special place in UFC history. Not only is he a former middleweight champion and a member of the 2019 UFC Hall-of-Fame class, but in the minds of many MMA fans, the 45-year-old is the greatest cage fighter to ever come out of England.
However, all good things come to an end. After a late-career surge that saw him win five straight, including an upset victory over Anderson Silva and revenge wins over Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson, back-to-back losses led to his retirement in 2017 at 38.
Unlike some of his contemporaries, Bisping never walked back his decision to return to the fight game. Especially since it would be difficult to get a fight license since he currently has a false right eye. However, during a recent edition of his “Believe You Me” podcast, the Englishman revealed he is open to a return.
“Karate Combat, give me a shout. I’ll fight Luke. We’ll do the trilogy. One last time, I’ve still got one left in the tank,” Bisping said.
Could Michael Bisping sign with Karate Combat soon?
The comment came after a fan asked if he would be open to a third bout with Luke Rockhold following his knockout win over Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45. Well, things didn’t end there. Earlier this week the promotion’s Instagram account posted a video of the moment with the caption: “Hey @Mikebisping let’s talk …” accompanied by a big eyes and a contract emoji.
Karate Combat has gained a lot of traction in the fight game over the last couple of years after bringing in several MMA greats to compete in the pit or to help promote the brand. Adding Michael Bisping would bring a solid amount of interest to the promotion and further push the brand to his large fan base in the US and UK.
Bisping has served as a TV analyst for UFC events in the years since his retirement.
More must-reads: