• UFC 127

Dana White confirms Bisping hasn't been suspended

Michael Bisping had a score to settle with Jorge Rivera © Getty Images

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Dana White has confirmed he will not suspend Michael Bisping, revealing he punished the Briton for his actions at UFC 127 by denying him his fight bonus.

White still believes Bisping was guilty of throwing a deliberate illegal knee at Jorge Rivera before spitting at the American's coach in Sydney, but he insists it is up to the sport's governing commission to dish out suspensions.

The UFC has developed a reputation for rewarding its fighters handsomely for their efforts in promoting and competing in fights, and it is this financial reward that has been taken away from the Briton.

"I've talked to Mike, I like Michael Bisping. I've known him a long time since we did TUF 3," White told MMA Fighting. "Is Mike Bisping cocky? Yes he is. He's a f***ing professional fighter.

"At the end of the day, I'm not the Athletic Commission. They're the ones who impose fines and all these other things.

"Not a lot of people know when I've said something to a fighter, but the fighters know. The fighters know exactly what I'm saying when I say this: Mike Bisping didn't get a bonus, he was not given a bonus for his fight, and believe me that hurts a lot worse than anything else I could have done.

"I let him know how I felt about it and what I expect in the future, and he wasn't given a bonus for that show. Let's face facts, people wanted to see the Jorge Rivera fight. Mike Bisping was a big part of the promotion for the fight, and he did not get rewarded."

Bisping has always protested his innocence over the illegal knee, which was also defended by Dan Hardy, but White revealed the Wolf's Lair fighter knew not to argue with the UFC president.

"He didn't even try to go there with me, because I disagree on both. I think the knee was intentional and he absolutely meant to spit on that guy. I've never accidentally spat on anybody. Ever."

Casting his mind to the future, White refused to speculate on a potential Chael Sonnen collision for Bisping, insisting Sonnen still has personal matters to get in place before he returns to the Octagon.

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