Issue 067

November 2009

Mike Bisping is one of Europe’s best-known fighters, but despite the designer clothes and luxury cars he’s still the same old ‘guy next door’.  

How would you describe your style of clothing? 

It depends what kind of mood I’m in and where I’m going. I could be quite trendy, I like a lot of designer stuff, but I can afford it these days. Wearing nice clothes gives you confidence. Clothes make the man, as they say!  

You often wear a suit for press conferences. Do you like to dress up?  

It’s a professional sport and I like to represent it in that way. I think more fighters should do the same. There are a lot of press there, and the images go to a lot of places. If we’re dressed smartly, it helps present the sport in the correct image.   

If you’re going out, are you a collar and shoes or a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy?

Not a collar guy, nice pair of jeans, trendy shoes, probably not a shirt; I like to wear a nice t-shirt, maybe a leather jacket or something.  

Do you have any preferred brands?  

I’m a big fan of Marc Ecko, I’m wearing a nice Ecko jacket right now, and they do some cool stuff. I’m a big fan of Hugo Boss, Adidas.  

What kind of phone do you have?

I just got the new iPhone 3GS. I use a PC so I’m not an Apple freak, I just like the iPhone. I check and send emails on the go, it’s got a really good camcorder on it where you can edit files 

and send them straight to YouTube. I put them up 

on my website [www.Bisping.tv] when I’m on the go.   

What was the last holiday you went on?  

I went to Malaysia to visit some family, and we popped to Thailand for a few days. The UFC has reached Malaysia, I got recognized a few times – nothing like at home or in Vegas, but there are a few Malaysian UFC fans out there!  

What car do you drive? We heard you just got a new one.  

I’ve got the Range Rover Autobiography that the UFC got me, it is amazing, it’s five-litre supercharged. It costs an absolute bomb, I’ve got to make sure I win my next fight just to pay the petrol for it!  I’m in the Audi [S5] at the moment because I can’t afford to run it to the gym and back everyday. I probably could, but it would cripple me! [Laughs] The Audi is a beautiful car.   

If you could own any car, what would you go for? 

I’m quite lucky with the Range Rover, I can get the family in there nicely in rolling comfort, it’s got the DVD screens and everything, but if it was just me I’d love a Ferrari or something! What man doesn’t want a Ferrari? [Laughs]

Mike Bisping spoke with Hywel Teague.