Michael Bisping: ‘I’m Expected to Lose’ at UFC 199, Pressure Is on Luke Rockhold

When Michael Bisping faces Luke Rockhold in the UFC 199 headliner on Saturday, it will have been nearly a decade since “The Count” made his Octagon debut at “The Ultimate Fighter 3” finale. During that time, Bisping has emerged as one of the most recognizable figures within the Las Vegas-based promotion, an oft-loathed figure for his perceived villain persona by fans and a popular call-out target for fighters looking to propel themselves to a more prominent status in the sport. Through the years, a title shot always seemed to be just out of reach. Bisping would seemingly be one fight away from a chance at glory, only to fall painfully short again and again. Through it all, the Englishman refused to temper his expectations, and devastating defeat only seemed to strengthen his resolve. A submission loss to Rockhold in November 2014 could have signaled the end for Bisping as a relevant fighter at 185 pounds. Instead, he refocused and proceeded to earn consecutive triumphs over C.B. Dollaway, Thales Leites and Anderson Silva. Still, Bisping needed good fortune to receive his first championship opportunity, and it arrived when Chris Weidman was forced to pull out of UFC 199 due to a herniated disc in his neck that would require surgery. Even with the event approximately two weeks away, Bisping wasted little time campaigning for his opportunity on social media. More good luck occurred when Ronaldo Souza, the next top contender in the division, needed meniscus surgery following his win over Vitor Belfort on May 14. With that, 25 fights into his UFC tenure, Bisping finally will get to vie for promotional gold. The significance of the moment is not lost on him, but he is adamant that he will not be overwhelmed. “Listen, all the pressure is on Luke. It’s very, very free mentally. I’m just going to go out there and do my thing. I have no pressure. I know I’m expected to lose,” Bisping said during a recent conference call. “The world is expecting me to lose this fight. …

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