British UFC middleweight Michael Bisping has added fuel to rumours of a possible October fight-card in Manchester – by staking his name to it.
The 34-year-old last fought in Manchester at UFC 105 in November 2009 when he knocked out Denis Kang in the second-round of their bout at the sold-out Manchester arena.
Following his victory over Alan Belcher at UFC 159 last weekend in New Jersey, Bisping admitted he is eager to compete in front of his home town fans again.
“I’d love to fight in the UK, it’s been too long,” he said, speaking to ESPN. “In October, it’ll have been three years since I fought in England. That’s way too long.
“Apparently it’s rumoured that there will be one in Manchester, I’d love to fight on that. April to October, that’s six months. In a perfect world, I’d like to fight in July and then October.
“But that would be a perfect world. We’ll see what the UFC has to say, but I definitely want to be on that fight card in Manchester. Hopefully main event, it’s my home city, fighting there would be amazing.”
Though he is now based in California, Bisping remains a fiercely-proud Englishman and has fond memories of 2009 – when he fulfilled by fighting at Manchester Arena.
“The first time I fought at the MEN it was a dream come true,” he said. “You hear all about the big fights, and then I fought there. It was incredible.
“The UK is my home, it’s who I am. I live out here in the States but I’m an Englishman and I’m proud to be an ambassador for mixed martial arts in England.”
Former Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook is now the UFC’s executive vice president for Europe and he will be the man charged with delivering the card.
Image courtesy of MMA Fighting via YouTube, with thanks.
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