• UFC 136

Sonnen should be behind me in title queue - Bisping

ESPN staff
October 13, 2011

Michael Bisping insists he will never tell the UFC how to do its job, but he is convinced Chael Sonnen should be behind him in the queue for a crack at middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Sonnen appeared to book the next title shot with victory over Brian Stann at UFC 136, grabbing the microphone and challenging Silva to a rematch that could see Sonnen leave the UFC if he loses. President Dana White later stated he'd be "pretty stupid" not to make the rematch happen ASAP.

However, with Silva nursing a shoulder problem that will keep him sidelined going into the new year, Bisping believes a stylish win over Jason Miller should boost his own claims for a title crack.

The Brit's argument is simple. Victory over Miller would be his fourth on the bounce, whereas Sonnen has only just re-entered the winner's circle. Moreover, Bisping claims the fact that Sonnen not only lost but got finished by Silva means the American has had his chance.

"Far be it from me to question the UFC, that's not what I am doing, but I just have my opinion," Bisping told Fighters Only. "Chael Sonnen had his chance, put on a great performance but lost. Got tapped out, got finished, and then after that he failed a steroids test. As far as I can see he had his chance and he blew it.

"I feel I deserve a shot. I have got to beat Miller, he is tough, I am not looking past him. [But] It's me, I'm the contender. [Vitor] Belfort has just been beat, Yushin Okami has just been beat, Sonnen got beat. What are they going to do, all they all going to keep beating each other up and then having another shot at him?

"No, I'm the contender."

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