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Bisping reveals UFC discussion over title shot

Michael Bisping wants to fight for the UFC belt © Getty Images

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Michael Bisping described to ESPN over the weekend a recent chat he had with the UFC's top brass, which appeared to hint he might get the next middleweight title shot, if Chael Sonnen beats Anderson Silva.

Bisping was one win away from booking his shot at UFC gold when he fought Sonnen in January. The decision of that three-round war went Sonnen's way, but UFC president Dana White felt Bisping won.

Sonnen is now preparing to meet champion Silva, while Bisping must continue to press his claims against Tim Boetsch. If the Brit wins, there is nobody making a stronger case than him to get that next title shot - despite the fact the last fight on his record is a loss.

With Brian Stann, Mark Munoz, Vitor Belfort and Hector Lombard all vying for their chance, the immediate future of the 185lb division is unclear, but Bisping hints his own situation might be helped by Sonnen winning the title.

"I don't know [if I get the next shot]. I've asked Dana, I've asked Joe Silva. I don't know," the Brit told ESPN.

"Dana called me after the Sonnen fight and I asked him, 'Where does this leave me in terms of the title?'. He said to me, 'In fairness Mike, you won the fight.' Not that he sent me my win bonus!

"I asked, 'Where does this leave me for the title shot?' And he never said you don't get one. He said, 'We need to figure it out'.

"When speaking to Joe Silva, he said it all depends on what happens between Sonnen and Anderson. He said if Anderson wins, I might be sitting around for a while.

"So if Chael wins I might get to fight [for the title]. But I haven't been told anything official.

"Since Dan Henderson, I haven't lost a fight. The Wanderlei fight I was robbed of a decision, the Chael fight I was robbed, so it's going back to 2009. If you take those out, I haven't lost in seven or eight fights."

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