Michael Bisping says Real American Freestyle offered him $500,000 to wrestle Tito Ortiz but he turned it down because of concerns about what a wrestling match would do to his neck.
Bisping discussed the offer on his Believe You Me podcast, framing it as a real and tempting proposal.
Through someone that has an association with RAF, they asked me for half a million dollars to go wrestle against Tito Ortiz. I swear to God.
He said he would have been far more interested in a boxing match.
If it was a boxing match, yeah. But wrestling, my neck couldn’t take that. No way. I was tempted. I was like, ‘Half a mil for a little wrestling match?'
Bisping used the situation to highlight the level of money RAF is putting on the table for recognizable combat sports names.
RAF are paying serious money. That’s what these guys are getting paid. If not more.
He also noted that RAF has changed the calculus for wrestlers specifically by creating a legitimate financial lane outside of MMA.
Guys got into MMA from wrestling because they couldn’t wrestle for money. And now they can do both. Caveats, you’ve got to have a name and they all have a name.
Bisping is a UFC Hall of Famer and the first British UFC champion. Ortiz is also a Hall of Famer and former light heavyweight champion. Daniel Cormier has separately discussed a potential RAF wrestling match with Jon Jones, while Michael Chandler has already competed for the promotion.
