UFC on Fox 2: Michael Bisping Submitting Chael Sonnen Is Laughable

It’s been confirmed recently that Michael Bisping will face Chael Sonnen as part of the UFC’s second show on the Fox network, after Sonnen’s original opponent Mark Munoz was injured in training.

The general fan reaction to this news has been positive, as both men are regarded as two top middleweights who are both reviled and admired by differing sections of the fanbase.

With Sonnen already a dominant favorite to beat Bisping, “The Count” recently made the bold claim that he’d submit Sonnen if Sonnen took him down.

Even as a Bisping fan, I can admit that he's dreaming. Here’s why.

Courtesy of Fighters Only, here’s the quote in question: “'…His jiu-jitsu won’t be too slick. Chael Sonnen can take me down if he likes, because I know I can submit him off my back…I may not have a black belt, but I consider myself a black belt…Believe me, if Chael Sonnen takes me down he better be prepared to get submitted.'”

Before I start giving my reasons for why I’m honestly laughing at the idea of Michael Bisping submitting Chael Sonnen, I’d just like to point out that I’ve been a Michael Bisping fan for years. I think Bisping is constantly underrated simply because so many people hate him.

People have been calling for his head and saying he’ll get exposed again in every fight since Dan Henderson beat him, but so far Henderson has been the only person to really expose Michael Bisping in the UFC.

I know Bisping can beat Sonnen; hell, I know Bisping can rock, drop and stop Sonnen.

It’s just that…Michael Bisping has virtually no chance of submitting Chael Sonnen.

Bisping is a striker. That’s what he’s always been.

He’s not Anderson Silva, though, who possesses amazing striking along with a ground game so good he’s able to use it as a back-up weapon.

Bisping's ground game might be better now since he says he’s been rolling with a lot of good ground guys, but Sonnen’s bread and butter is his ground game. The only person that comes close to having as dominant a ground game as Sonnen at middleweight is Mark Munoz—and if you force me to, I’d say Sonnen’s wrestling is more dominant than Munoz’s.

I get that Bisping is saying that he’s training with good ground guys. I get that Sonnen has been submitted eight (EIGHT!) times in his MMA career. But look at the people who submitted Sonnen: fighters like the aforementioned Anderson Silva, plus Demian Maia, Paulo Filho and Jeremy Horn.  

I respect that Bisping is working on his ground game. I acknowledge that his ground game may be better than it’s ever been, but I still find laughable the notion of Bisping submitting Sonnen.

Michael Bisping is not going to dominate Chael Sonnen on the ground. If this fight goes to the ground, Bisping’s priority should be to survive.

I love me some Michael Bisping, but still, this fight has to end on the feet because if Bisping tries to submit Sonnen for three rounds, he’s going to get his face punched in for three rounds.

Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts, as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.