UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping is defending his belt against former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre in the main event of UFC 217.
Despite mentioning a possible retirement after UFC 217, the middleweight champion has changed course and will not be retiring after all.
“Nah. Listen, a lot of people were asking me about that,” Bisping said at the UFC 217 pre-fight press conference. “But I love this too much. I love this whole process, getting ready for training camp. Eight weeks ago, I was out of shape. Now I feel like I’m, well, the world champion; I can beat anyone on this planet, especially [St-Pierre]. I love that whole process. So nah, I won’t be retiring.”
Interestingly enough, the middleweight champion's opponent at UFC 217 is returning after a self-imposed break from competition, which lasted over four years.
While Bisping isn’t coming off of a four-plus year absence from competition like GSP is, the middleweight champion still hasn’t competed since defeating Dan Henderson in a rematch at UFC 204 in October of last year.
UFC 217 takes place on Saturday, November 4 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Michael Bisping and Georges St. Pierre headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
