Joe Camporeale-USA Today Sports
UFC 159 kicks off this weekend, and features a heated middleweight bout between Alan Belcher and Michael Bisping. A lot of meaning is behind this bout as both fighters want to prove they can back up their trash talk once they step inside the cage. It’s this kind of trash talk that certainly makes this a fight to look forward to, and it has Fight-Of-The-Night written all over it.
On paper, this is a dynamic bout that could end in many ways. Each have shown the ability to win, whether it’s standing or when they exchange in the ground battle. What makes this bout even more intriguing is the fact that each are coming off a loss, so their will to win will be at all-time highs.
Despite losing in an emphatic fashion to Vitor Belfort, Bisping still believes he has what it takes to be a champion. This is refreshing because no matter how many times he has lost, he has come back stronger in his next outing. Bisping will be looking to do the same against Belcher, and he feels he can outbox and put pressure on him until he wilts.
Also coming off a loss, Belcher wants redemption. His last outing against Yushin Okami was not his best work, so it will be interesting to see which tactics he tries to implement. In terms of stand-up battle, Belcher has some dynamic kicks and he has knockout power in his hands. This always makes him a fan-favorite to watch, which will serve him well going up against Bisping.
Both fighters have their backs against the wall and emotions are running high, so this should be a barn-burner from start to finish.
