At this point, the Michael Bisping – Jorge Masvidal feud is one of the more odd pairings in mixed martial arts. For as much as Masvidal appears to loathe the former middleweight champion, Bisping himself has maintained a consistent distance and disinterest in the other direction.
Earlier this week, Masvidal went on a huge rant regarding Bisping on MMAFighting’s The MMA Hour, claiming Bisping had attempted to skirmish with him in a hotel following UFC Shanghai, as well as accusing the Brit of holding racist opinions towards minorities.
For Bisping, it’s just another incident of Masvidal obsessing over a rivalry that doesn’t exist. Speaking on his podcast Believe You Me, Bisping labelled the Cuban “a fucking idiot,” before addressing the incident Masvidal referred to.
“Here’s what happened in Shanghai,” Bisping said. “He’s always there, he’s always talking shit, he’s a little asshole. Whatever. As I’m walking to the lobby, I see him and I just give him the middle finger. I walk past and I just go, ‘Fuck you’, just as I’m walking by. You know, I’d just lost a fight, I wasn’t in the best mood. That’s all it was, I wasn’t trying to get at anybody. I don’t go around trying to attack people in hotel lobbies.
“I just walked past and went ‘fuck you’ as I went past. That was it. And then he tried to get at me, and caused a big scene again. You know when someone tries to get at somebody and people have to hold them back, and it’s just ridiculous. So here he is again, talking about it.”
It’s the latest in a long line of episodes between the two, albeit with the same dynamic. Usually, it doesn’t take much for Bisping to respond in verbal battles, but whenever Masvidal has thrown insults his way, he appears to be largely uninterested. Such is the case here.
“You know [how much] Jorge Masvidal resonates with me?” Bisping said. “The other day I was biting my fingernails. You know when you’re biting your fingernails and you rip it off, you take a bit of skin with you? It’s annoying. It stings, but it’s not really there it’s only now and again. He’s about that level.
“I find it kind of pathetic,” he continued. “I really do. It’s like, get a life, get a grip. I honestly don’t want to give him this much time. … Jorge, forget I exist. Keep my name out of your mouth. I’ll do the same, I’m not lowering myself to your level and that’s about that.”
I love how such a tiny insignificant incident to me, is the biggest thing to happen to this punk. He can’t stop talking about it, plus it’s total bloody lies. Get over it buddy. Go bore someone else. https://t.co/3kyqi2B8dr
— michael (@bisping) May 7, 2018
So, for any fans hoping to see a battle between the two — perhaps for Bisping’s retirement fight — you’re seemingly out of luck.
“I’m 39 with three kids, do you think I’m interested in fighting somebody that honestly, I don’t even know?” Bisping asked. “Do I care for him? No I don’t. Do I respect him? Obviously not, he handles himself like a piece of shit. But I’m not interested in trying to fight Jorge Masvidal, whether it be in the UFC, in a parking lot, whatever it is. Come on dude, just move on with your life. Focus on your UFC career, your dwindling UFC career, I believe he’s lost fights to — he’s lost fights at lightweight for crying out loud.
“Get a grip, Jorge Masvidal.”