Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold’s latest reunion lived up to expectations.
The former UFC Champions once shared one of the most heated rivalries in middleweight history, splitting their two encounters inside the octagon. Their first clash took place at the Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia, in November 2014, where Luke Rockhold dropped “The Count” with a head kick and secured a submission victory.
The rivalry reached its peak in their rematch at UFC 199 in June 2016. On short notice, Bisping shocked the MMA world by delivering a stunning first-round knockout to claim the UFC middleweight title in a true underdog triumph.
Rivalry Rekindled: Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold Trade Barbs in Fiery Podcast Reunion
Michael Bisping couldn’t resist adding insult to injury after his title victory over Luke Rockhold.
Nearly a decade later, the two former rivals have buried the hatched – or at least tried to – and now share a playful camaraderie. Their latest reunion occurred on a podcast hosted by former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, where the banter quickly reignited their simmering rivalry.
Rockhold wasted no time stirring the pot, opening with a pointed question:
“Was I the only person to submit you in your career?”
Bisping then shot back without missing a beat saying:
“No, a welterweight did as well, so don’t get all hard about it,”
This was referencing his submission loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217. The exchanges escalated when Rockhold seemingly mocked Bisping’s eye injury – caused by Vitor Belfort’s head kick – that left him blind in his right eye. Bisping now covers with a prosthetic.
“I’d hate to fight Bisping these days because you’d get in a staredown and really wouldn’t know what the f*** he’s thinking,” Rockhold joked.
Not one to back down, Bisping then retorted by saying;
“I’ve knocked him out once before; I can do it again.” He then added, “I 100 percent stepped in to win that fight. He should’ve been [nervous] because he got knocked the f*** out.”
Rockhold then attempted to justify his performance at UFC 199, admitting he underestimated Bisping when he said;
“I was disrespectful of Bisping. I smoked his a** the first time.”
Michael Bisping wasn’t having it. In a mic-drop moment, he ripped out his prosthetic eye to emphasize his underdog triumph, silencing Rockhold with a brutal reminder:
“Bro, I knocked you out with one f***ing eye.”
Bisping Thrives in Retirement as Rockhold Prepares for 2025 MMA Return
Michael Bisping retired from MMA in 2017 following back-to-back losses.
Since then, he has built an incredibly successful career in entertainment. Now 45 years old, Bisping is a leading UFC commentator and analyst. Bisping also runs a popular YouTube channel, and is steadily growing his acting career.
While Bisping enjoys his post-fight pursuits, Rockhold is set to return to the cage in 2025, despite his on-and-off flirtations with retirement.
The part-time model, who has lost three of his last four fights since being knocked out by Bisping, briefly explored bare-knuckle boxing. This was after after leaving the UFC in 2022. Unfortunately, his venture was short-lived as Mike Perry knocked out his teeth, forcing him to quit.
More recently, Rockhold knocked out Joe Schilling at Karate Combat 45 in April 2024.
Now Rockhold has signed with the new MMA promotion Global Fight League, joining a roster full of former UFC stars, including Paige VanZant. He’s now just waiting for his debut date and opponent.
Despite their banter, Bisping will likely support Rockhold, as the former UFC rivals have become close frenemies.
Featured image credit to Embed from Getty Images
