No Silva lining for Michael Bisping at UFC 110

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If there is one thing us Brits are good at, it is losing.

Never was that more evident than in Michael 'The Count' Bisping's narrow decision loss to Wanderlei Silva yesterday at UFC 110. Bisping stayed elusive throughout, trying to counter punch the explosive Axe Murderer, but ultimately an almost successful guillotine and a late knockdown condemned The Ultimate Fighter season three winner to defeat.

Not that we care. God loves a trier, or so they say. So he must love the British. Our sporting heroes are constantly nearly men, from our football (sorry soccer) team to the other heroic loser Down Under recently, Andy Murray.

Despite what a lot of Bisping haters say though, he was capable of winning this fight. Silva didn't walk through him like so many predicted and, if you take off your Pride tinted glasses, Silva wasn't completely 'back to his best' yesterday. But it looked as though Bisping just lacks the confidence at the highest level to beat the best.

Take the Denis Kang fight, Bisping was dropped in the first round, but roared on by the home crowd, he came back to finish his experienced opponent. Fast forward to the present, and Bisping always looked a little afraid of Silva's legendary knockout power, and so he was defeated by another former Pride man.

Pride must be a thorn in the side for Bisping at the moment, with defeats to Dan Henderson and now Silva. But pride is certainly something he can take in himself, and I'm sure every Brit will be proud of him today.

Had he continued to pressure Silva and try to put him on his back, rather than play the role of counter puncher, things might have turned out differently. Maybe the guillotine put a stop to that, but it seems that Bisping lacks the one punch knockout power to be an effective counter puncher, so that constantly leaves it in the hands of the judges. Instead, I prefer to see Bisping putting his opponents on the back foot, mixing up the striking and takedowns to win a stoppage.

Easier said than done against a fighter of Silva's caliber, I know. But otherwise Silva was bound to land with a few flurries, and then Bisping's really playing with fire.

Joe Rogan is right, this is just a set back for Bisping and he will be back in there. He will also learn a lot from these defeats, and you never know, they could help improve him as a fighter. If you consider that the only blemishes on his record are losses to Rashad Evans, Henderson and Silva, there certainly ain't no shame in that.

He might never be a champion, but we Brit's are a stubborn bunch and we will support him all the way, after all, besides Ian Freeman, he was our first, and you always remember your first.

In fact, I think he missed our support last night. I think Bisping performs better when the crowd are on his side, and I don't think he was expecting the boos that rang out yesterday. After all, his girlfriend is Australian, and his kids hold Australian passports.

But now that Bisping has a reputation as a trash talker, it will prove hard to shake. The Ultimate Fighter series which pitted the UK against the US, and Bisping against his nemesis Henderson, hurt his popularity in the States more than anything.

His verbal exchanges with Hendo gave him the trash talking reputation, despite coming across as down to earth on the third series of the TUF show, and being fairly respectful beforehand. Bisping is well known in the U.K. for his down to earth reputation and is extremely popular. But a little smack talking has put payed to that in the States. But doesn't every fighter talk a little trash? Of course they do. But the rivalry between the two countries on TUF season 9 made Bisping public enemy number one leading up to that fight.

Not every American dislikes him though, and Rampage Jackson's presence in his corner suggests Bisping is training with top level partners.

So where does our poster boy turn next? The regrouping Nate Marquardt may seem a step to far at this stage, Yushin Okami fights next month, as does Nate Quarry. Kendall Grove and Mark Munoz also square off soon.

Whatever the opposition, expect to see improvement in 'The Count' and one thing is sure, he will have a little island cheering him across the pond.