• UFC 159

Bisping 'definitely' wants to headline next UK card

ESPN staff
April 26, 2013
Bisping wants to fight in his hometown


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Michael Bisping has an unofficial schedule mapped out in his head for the rest of 2013, and top of the agenda is making sure he fights in the UK later this year.

Bisping heads into a UFC 159 co-main event showdown with long-time antagonist Alan Belcher this weekend, knowing victory puts him right back among the title contenders after his loss to Vitor Belfort.

Once he beats Belcher, the Brit ideally wants to fight again in July before heading to England at the back end of 2013. It is strongly rumoured the UFC might bring a card to the UK for October, and Bisping wants to headline the event.

"I'd love to fight in the UK, it's been too long. In October, it'll have been three years since I fought in England. That's way too long," he told ESPN.

"Apparently it's rumoured that there will be one in Manchester, I'd love to fight on that. April to October, that's six months. In a perfect world, I'd like to fight in July and then October.

"But that would be a perfect world. We'll see what the UFC has to say, but I definitely want to be on that fight card in Manchester. Hopefully main event, it's my home city, fighting there would be amazing.

"The first time I fought at the MEN it was a dream come true. You hear all about the big fights, and then I fought there. It was incredible. The UK is my home, it's who I am. I live out here in the States but I'm an Englishman and I'm proud to be an ambassador for mixed martial arts in England."

Ross Pearson has also expressed huge interest in appearing on the next UK card, although no dates or venues have yet been made official.

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