Report: Bisping-Boetsch Transplanted to UFC 149 Following Summer Shakeup
Michael
Bisping and Tim Boetsch
may collide a little later than expected.
Though the middleweights were originally slated to square off July 7 at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, it now appears they will lock horns two weeks later at UFC 149. The reported move comes as a result of Anderson Silva’s middleweight title defense sliding from UFC 147 in Brazil to UFC 148 due to a logistics conflict with the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. MMAJunkie.com first reported the change on Monday; no official announcement has been made by the UFC.
If moved, Bisping-Boetsch will bolster a UFC 149 card expected to feature Jose Aldo’s featherweight title defense against Erik Koch. The event takes place July 21 at Scotiabank Saddledome and marks the promotion’s inaugural trip to Calgary, Alberta. Heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will also throw down at the event, which sees “Minotauro” return to the Octagon following surgery to repair a broken arm.
Bisping, 33, most recently had a four-fight winning streak snapped in a contentious unanimous decision defeat to Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Jan. 28 defeat, the Brit notched back-to-back finishes in 2011, knocking out Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 before dispatching fellow “Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 coach Jason Miller at the show’s live finale on Dec. 3.
Boetsch enters his showdown with Bisping following arguably the most important win of his career, as “The Barbarian” fought through two tough rounds against Yushin Okami only to knock out the former title challenger early in the third with a flurry of punches. Boetsch, 31, is undefeated since dropping to 185 pounds, outpointing Kendall Grove and Nick Ring last year prior to his Feb. 26 victory over Okami at UFC 144.
Though the middleweights were originally slated to square off July 7 at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, it now appears they will lock horns two weeks later at UFC 149. The reported move comes as a result of Anderson Silva’s middleweight title defense sliding from UFC 147 in Brazil to UFC 148 due to a logistics conflict with the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. MMAJunkie.com first reported the change on Monday; no official announcement has been made by the UFC.
If moved, Bisping-Boetsch will bolster a UFC 149 card expected to feature Jose Aldo’s featherweight title defense against Erik Koch. The event takes place July 21 at Scotiabank Saddledome and marks the promotion’s inaugural trip to Calgary, Alberta. Heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will also throw down at the event, which sees “Minotauro” return to the Octagon following surgery to repair a broken arm.
Bisping, 33, most recently had a four-fight winning streak snapped in a contentious unanimous decision defeat to Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Jan. 28 defeat, the Brit notched back-to-back finishes in 2011, knocking out Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 before dispatching fellow “Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 coach Jason Miller at the show’s live finale on Dec. 3.
Boetsch enters his showdown with Bisping following arguably the most important win of his career, as “The Barbarian” fought through two tough rounds against Yushin Okami only to knock out the former title challenger early in the third with a flurry of punches. Boetsch, 31, is undefeated since dropping to 185 pounds, outpointing Kendall Grove and Nick Ring last year prior to his Feb. 26 victory over Okami at UFC 144.
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