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Marquardt would move back to 185 to fight Bisping

ESPN staff
June 15, 2011
Nate Marquardt is happy at 170lbs © Getty Images
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Nate Marquardt says a fight with Michael Bisping would tempt him to move back into the UFC middleweight division.

Marquardt is preparing for the UFC Live main event with Rick Story on June 26, in what will be his welterweight debut. Story stepped in for Anthony Johnson, who had to withdraw due to injury. Marquardt insists he is feeling far happier at 170lbs, and even if he returned to the middleweight division, he would opt to fight at the lighter weight.

For now he is focusing on Story, believing victory would book him a title shot. However, a clash with Bisping could alter his plans.

"I feel like I could hold the title at 185lbs, but for me, it's more of a natural weight to fight at 170," Marquardt said on MMA Junkie Radio. "If I ever did go back to 185, I wouldn't put on extra weight on purpose. I have more energy for practices. I just feel better.

"The way I'm looking at this is that it's a permanent move," he said. "But if I got a fight with someone like Michael Bisping - there's been some talk about that - I'd fight him at 185 but keep my weight the same. Really, this is the right weight for me."

And if victory leads to a title shot against good friend and training partner Georges St-Pierre?

"I'm just avoiding that question at this point. I'm going to do what I can in this fight, and I'm focused on that. If it ever presents itself as an actual situation, we'll deal with it at that point."

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