• UFC 138

Well-known Bisping critic added to UFC 138

ESPN staff
August 26, 2011
Cyrille Diabate has history with Michael Bisping © Getty Images
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The Birmingham UFC 138 card on November 5 has been bolstered by the addition of known Michael Bisping hater Cyrille Diabate, who will fight Anthony Perosh.

Diabate, who has won seven of his last eight light-heavyweights fights, including a demolition job of Steve Cantwell last time out, is far from being Bisping's biggest fan.

The Frenchman has history with Bisping having coached opposite the Brit on the TUF 9 reality series. Diabate and Bisping also exchanged heated words after a kickboxing match won by Diabate.

Following Bisping's fallout with Jorge Rivera at UFC 127, when the Brit was accused of spitting at Rivera's corner, Diabate passed comment on his former rival - insisting he brings a bad name to mixed martial artists.

"I've had problems with Bisping a few times," Diabate said on March 11. "He's a character. He's very explosive. He tends to act and think after. His actions weren't a surprise to me as he's the type of guy that does that s**t and then regrets it or tries to apologise after.

"He's hurt people's feelings and he's shown the public the bad side of the sport. Not even of the sport, but of fighters themselves. We don't need that kind of publicity. There are so many people bad mouthing MMA as it is that we don't need those kind of actions."

Diabate can expect a less than hospitable crowd when he takes on Perosh, who beat Bisping's team-mate Tom Blackledge in his last outing having previously lost to Mirko Cro Cop.

"Training for my upcoming UFC fight @ UFC 138," tweeted Diabate. "Anthony Perosh vs Cyrille Diabate. Grappler vs Striker. Classic !!!"

UFC 138 is headlined by Chris Leben v Mark Munoz.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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