Michael Bisping has announced that Yoel Romero could be in line for a shot at the title next if Georges St-Pierre continues to procrastinate.
In what will undoubtedly be music to the ears of Romero, the UFC middleweight champion announced on the most recent episode of his podcast, Believe You Me, that St-Pierre’s reluctance in committing to a summer date may have consequences on his title shot:
“July 8, Las Vegas, International Fight Week is the date and the event that we are targeting. But Dana wouldn’t confirm the date at the press conference. But then I saw Dana a couple of weeks later when I was working at FOX and Dana said, ‘Yeah we’re still hoping for July 8.’
“Long story short, it looks like GSP is trying to push for a later date. I heard rumors of that a while ago from Ariel Helwani. I heard that they wanted September/October and that’s what the UFC told me as well. But I’m just throwing it out there right now, if he wants to wait until September or October, then he can go find himself another opponent, buddy. Because I call the shots. Without sounding like an a**hole, it’s my belt. I’m the champion and I’m not willing to sit around until September or October.
“This fight was discussed in January. A fight camp only takes eight weeks or six weeks. Fighting in September or October is ridiculous. July 8 is the date. I will be a little bit flexible and maybe go past that a little bit but I want to fight at International Fight Week, July 8. So Georges St-Pierre, get it together. Stop doing your f**king gymnastics, stop doing your backflips and whatever it is and let’s do this, buddy. Come on, sign the paperwork. You want it. You sat there at the press conference. You talked big. You sounded confident so sign the God d**n paperwork. It’s as simple as that.”
Bisping has rejected accusations that he is against the prospect of fighting the Cuban, arguing that his decision to opt for St-Pierre was, quite simply, better business. “The Count” has sent a strong message to St-Pierre with this latest statement: sign the paperwork, or miss out:
“If he’s not ready then I guess Yoel Romero gets his title shot. Listen, I’m not afraid of Yoel Romero. If GSP wants to fight, of course, there’s a great story there. . . But, I’m not willing to sit around and he doesn’t get to call the shots. It’s my belt and I’m not some little a**hole waiting in the wings for my title shot. I’ve got the belt and I want to fight. I’m in my prime. I don’t want to sit around for a year. If we don’t fight until September or October, that would be a year and I’m not willing to wait a year for Georges St-Pierre.
“He doesn’t get to call the shots. And I’m not being a baby about it, if he needs a little extra time, we’ll do that. But you can’t keep me waiting around indefinitely.”
The champion has set out his stall.
