‘You did it yourself’ … UFC legend responds to Michael Bisping asking if Ilia Topuria is ‘pulling a Jon Jones’

Daniel Cormier points out Michael Bisping never fought top contender Yoel Romero

Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier says he also wants to see Topuria fight Tsarukyan next, but can understand why the champion doesn’t want to, because Tsarukyan withdrew from his title bout at the last minute against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311.

Cormier thinks Bisping should cut Topuria some slack, having been in the same position as him a couple of times.

“Michael, Paul, I understand the frustration,” Cormier replied to Bisping on his YouTube channel.

“But, Mike, you are on the championship side. When you are getting ready to fight Dan Henderson, you wanted some get back on him, so you fought him,” Cormier referenced the time Bisping rematched a 46-year-old Dan Henderson in his retirement fight at UFC 204.

“But if there was a bigger fight for you, George St-Pierre for that matter, you took it…

“Even though Yoel Romero at the time, Mike, was probably the more justified number one contender.

“The bigger fight was GSP, and you took it,” Cormier said, stating how Bisping never fought highly-touted top contender Yoel Romero in 2016-17 when he was 7-0 or 8-0 in the UFC.

“At the end of the day, I agree with y’all,” Cormier continued.

“It should be Arman vs. Ilia, and I don’t think there’s any question about that. But I think the problem with it is that lasting memory of him and Paddy Pimblett [facing off] inside the octagon after the belt. It’s gonna be hard to erase.

“Don’t act like you ain’t sat in this position before, Michael,” Cormier said of Bisping.

“You know exactly why he’s doing that because you did it yourself when you had a chance to fight GSP instead of Yoel Romero.”

Dana White ruled out Arman Tsarukyan for the title twice

Following Tsarukyan’s withdrawal from the UFC 311 main event, which forced the UFC to call an audible and have Renato Moicano step in and fight Makhachev for the title on a day’s notice, CEO Dana White said Tsarukyan would have to fight again for the title opportunity.

Tsarukyan didn’t seem to be against it, and months later, the #1 contender looked to get back in the good graces of the UFC by weighing in as the back-up fighter for the UFC 317 main event between Topuria and Oliveira.

Tsarukyan’s services weren’t needed and while UFC boss White was appreciative, he refused to put Tsarukyan back in line for a title fight.

Many think Tsarukyan could be Topuria’s toughest test in the Octagon with his grappling skills. The 28-year-old is coming off back-to-back wins over former champion Charles Oliveira and former top-3 contender Beneil Dariush.