UFC 110 Fighter Michael Bisping: "I Don't Think I'm the Finished Product"

This Saturday night, Michael "The Count" Bisping takes on the hard-hitting Wanderlei "Axe Murderer" Silva in the co-feature of UFC 110: Nogueira vs Velazquez which will take place at the UFC's first ever event in Australia.

For some fighters on the card, a trek so far away can pose quite a challenge in getting adjusted.  Lately, Bisping has become quite accustomed to fighting on foreign soil and doesn't find it very daunting.

"Obviously I’m from the UK so whether a fight is in Vegas or Australia, wherever it is I tend to most of the time have to travel quite a distance.

"I like to get out there nice and early. I’ve been about two and a half, almost three weeks out here. By the time the fight comes so that my body clock is fully adjusted, I’ve gotten used to the time change.

"So I’m structuring my hard training session of each day around about that time, going to bed early at night and rising early, early, early in the morning, about 5:00 so that my day finishes early. So it’s going to seem to my body as if I’m fighting on a Saturday night because that’s what I’ve lived for the last few weeks."

While this will mark the sixth time traveling such a distance to compete in The Octagon, it will be the first time in his career that he faces Silva, who makes his debut in the Middleweight Division.

"Obviously it’s going to be interesting to see how he is at 185. Obviously it’s his first time. A lot of people are–I think too many people are reading too much into the fact that he’s fighting at 185. A lot of people are saying oh, he’s going to be so tired.

"Wanderlei’s been around for a long time and I’m sure he’s got people around him helping him to manage the weight properly."

Silva's energy level come fight night might be a question but his style of fighting will undoubtedly be the same as it has always been.

"Obviously he’s got good power and he’s very extreme. He’s good on the ground and stuff. But he likes to strike."

It might be difficult to find guys to train with that posess the amount of strength that Wanderlei carries, but Bisping had no problem acquiring strikers to assist him at the Wolfslair Academy.

"One thing that England isn’t short of is lots of brawlers. So, you know, we haven’t had to look too far to bring in guys that like to swing a lot and just all out brawl, you know?

"And so, you know, England with its background in boxing and, you know, background in Thai boxing as well, we’ve got lots of guys to try and replicate that style."

It might come as a bit of a surprise that despite having respect for Silva's power he plans to stand up and go toe-to-toe with the "Axe Murderer".

"You know, Wanderlei’s a strong puncher but I’m planning on standing, you know, and meeting him head on and hopefully pushing him onto his back foot. But obviously we’ll see.

"You know, I mean–people say I haven’t got knockout power. But, you know, I think I have and certainly my coaches have. And, you know, you can ask some of my sparring partners on this count and they’ll certainly agree."

His most recent bout was a big stoppage win over Dennis Kang but it can be argued that his most memorable bout as of late was his KO loss at the hands of MMA legend Dan Henderson.  It's a fight that Bisping wishes he could do all over again.

"Well obviously that’s the only knockout on my record. You know, it was a poor performance and I’d love to get a rematch. Obviously that wouldn’t happen any time in the near future. Obviously Dan’s got his reasons. I don’t know what they are. You know, it’s none of my business."

While clearly the fight isn't something he enjoys talking about, he freely admits that it's an experience that he's learned a lot from.

"Obviously I said, the (Dan Henderson) fight, you know, I got knocked out which obviously I wasn’t planning on doing. So I had to look at that and, you know, work on why I got knocked out and try and improve those holes.

"I’m constantly trying to improve all rounds as a fighter, you know. I don’t think I’m the finished product. You know, I’ve still got a lot of work to do and I train very, very hard day in, day out, you know. I’m looking to have a good team behind me. I’ve got good coaches.

"And, you know, and I’m very humble, you know, contrary to popular belief. And, you know, I just keep working hard and keep trying to improve my all around game."

Another unexpected change to Team Bisping has been the addition of elite fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

"Rampage is actually with me right now in Australia. He’s been with my training camp for the last few weeks now. We met in late 2006 through a seminar in England. It was just a chance meeting really.

"Having Rampage in the camp for the last few weeks has obviously given some great insight to the fight. Obviously, you know, he’s got a long history of Silva, so he brings some good strategies to the table."

Rampage didn't prove himself to be the greatest coach of the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, but having a guy in your corner who has a win over your foe can be a psychological advantage for Bisping.

Regardless, on Saturday night it's completely up to the Liverpool fighter known as "The Count" to continue his quest to transform from The Ultimate Fighter winner to become a bonafide UFC Champion.

And it's a quest that can only continue with a win over Wanderlei Silva in Australia.

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