Michael Bisping shares his thoughts on the middleweight GOAT debate: “He’s got the better style so far”

By Susan Cox - September 7, 2023

Former UFC champion Michael Bisping is sharing his thoughts on the middleweight GOAT debate.

Michael Bisping

It was during a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel that former UFC middleweight champion, Michael Bisping, articulated who he feels is deserving of GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) status in the middleweight division:

“Listen we could sit here all say and pontificate and come out with theories and who’s the best and why and all the rest of it. Right now, Anderson Silva is ahead on all the numbers, knockouts, wins, defenses, length of time, all the rest of it, it all points towards Anderson Silva and I think he’s got the better style so far. ‘The Last Stylebender’ is incredible to watch but the way that Anderson Silva would dispose of his opponents was legendary back in the day.”

While discussing both Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya, Bisping has no doubt that it is ‘The Spider’ who tops the list.

Continuing, Michael Bisping said (h/t MMANews):

“They’re two great fighters from two different eras, they did get to fight one another and of course Israel won but as I said before, you can’t really look at that fight too much. You can’t really give it too much weight and I know that sounds like an insult to Israel Adesanya, that’s not what I’m doing. They’re both incredible, I’m fans of them both. Right now, the greatest middleweight of all time without question is Anderson Silva but Israel Adesanya is still only 34 years old.” 

Israel Adesanya (24-2 MMA) is the current UFC middleweight champion. The 34 year old had five successful title defenses during his first run as champion. After losing the belt to Alex Pereira (8-2 MMA) in November of last year at UFC 281, ‘The Last Stylebender’ rebounded this past April in a rematch with ‘Poatan’ at UFC 287 to once again hold the crown.

Adesanya will be defending that crown this coming weekend, Saturday, September 9th, when he meets Sean Strickland (27-5 MMA) at UFC 293, which takes place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Anderson Silva (34-11 MMA), former UFC middleweight champion, holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. The now 48-year-old had a UFC record of 16 consecutive victories in the Octagon.

Do you agree with Michael Bisping that, as of now, Anderson Silva still remains the GOAT in the middleweight division?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


Topics:

Anderson Silva Israel Adesanya Michael Bisping UFC