Issue 119

September 2014

Two of MMA’s best-known middleweight contenders duke it out in Macau, but who’ll see their stock rise and who’ll be handed the unwelcome tag of UFC gatekeeper?

Following a sensational knockout victory over Rich Franklin in November 2012, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le (9-2) will be looking to test the chin of perennial top contender Michael Bisping (24-6) in Macau on August 23rd.

The two middleweight stalwarts will be looking at this fight as an opportunity to lift their stock in an increasingly competitive middleweight division, while the loser will most likely be awarded the unwelcome status of UFC gatekeeper.

Le, who hasn’t competed in the Octagon in nearly two years due to movie commitments, filming TUF: China and a plethora of injuries, turned 42 this year and so age and ring-rust might play a factor in how well the Vietnamese-American performs on the night.

Bisping, who has lost two of his last three fights, hasn’t been quite as active as he would have liked after suffering a nasty detached retina in his right eye in early 2013, which saw him sidelined for almost a year.

Despite losing a five-round decision to Tim Kennedy in his most recent outing last April, Bisping has certainly been more active than his opponent.

One aspect of the fight Bisping is unlikely to be concerned about is being out-grappled again, as he was against Kennedy. Though striker Le has amateur wrestling in his background, so he might consider taking the fight to the ground.

However, where both men truly excel is in the stand-up, even if they do have two distinctly different striking styles.

Le has eight KO/TKO victories out of his nine fights and has power in both hands and feet, having spent years training in sanshou and at American Kickboxing Academy. He has a long list of flashy, unpredictable striking techniques he’s not afraid to utilize in the Octagon.

Bisping certainly has a strong chin, having been KO’d just twice in his pro career, but we’ve seen time and time again that Le can finish a fight with one strike, so ‘The Count’ has to be wary of Le getting inside and landing with some devastating bombs.

While Bisping doesn’t quite possess the same knockout ability that Le does, he does throw magnificent combination strikes at rapid speed, making it difficult for his opponents to implement their own games in the fight. 

Bisping has spent time training with high-flying Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, so he has some experience dealing with a strong, creative striker. Plus, he has incredible cardio, so if he can drag Le into the latter rounds he could find some success there.

While this fight doesn’t have title-run implications stamped all over it, an impressive finish could lead to bigger fights in the future as both men are some of the best-drawing names in the UFC’s middleweight division.