After a hectic morning for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the promotion hosted a successful press conference earlier tonight (Fri., Oct. 6, 2017) for UFC 217 (click here for full replay). The gathering in Las Vegas, Nevada, featured UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt, UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, former UFC champions Georges St-Pierre and T.J. Dillashaw, and top contender Rose Namajunas.
While all six of the competitors offered good moments on the microphone, it was the action that spilled over into the staredowns that stole the show. Leading the pack was a physical altercation between Bisping and St-Pierre, who shoved “The Count” after Bisping grabbed a hold of his arm (shown above courtesy of UFC).
Before the staredowns, St-Pierre was forced to wade through a ton of insults thrown his way compliments of Bisping. The UFC middleweight champion mocked GSP’s accent and humorous accusation that “The Count” was possibly intoxicated for yet another public appearance. But in the end, St-Pierre finally stood his ground verbally and let Bisping have it.
“Water is wet, fire burns, and I’m going to beat Michael Bisping,” St-Pierre proclaimed. “I’m going to do whatever I want to do. I’m going to strike you, I’m going to put you down, I’m going to submit you, I’m going to re-strike you if you stand up, I’m going to do whatever I want. Whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it. That’s what I’m going to do.”
In addition, St-Pierre took some personal shots at Bisping, who has been flooding the media airwaves with accusations that GSP is coming off steroid use.
“You’re a very angry man. You take everything as an insult. If you would have asked Michael Bisping 10 years ago ‘what would make you happy’, he would probably say world champion. Now that he is world champion he is not happy anymore. I think he has a hole that he can’t fill in himself. That’s a problem up here,” St-Pierre said pointing to his head.
The bad blood is surely starting to boil over at this point. As long as Bisping and St-Pierre can successfully make it to the cage for next month’s title fight then MMA fans will be in for one hell of a treat.
UFC 217 will take place on Nov. 4 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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