Rivalries are an intrinsic part of sports. Athletes thrive on the challenge and fans love to pick sides.
While a near-equal match-up of skill and determination can make for exciting contests, it’s when the stakes are higher off the field that a sporting match becomes something more.
This is especially true in combat sports, our modern-day version of primal competition.
In the short history of mixed martial arts there have been no shortage of heated rivalries – Tito Ortiz versus Ken Shamrock, Wanderlei Silva versus Chael Sonnen, and Kazushi Sakuraba versus the Gracies, just to name a few.
On Sunday November 8, Luke Rockhold will take on Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Rockhold versus Bisping at the Allphones Arena.
The disdain between the two fighters has been evident for years, with the two trading verbal jabs through the media. The situation only escalated when the fight was announced.
Title implications aside, both fighters will be vying for ultimate bragging rights.
For Rockhold, the fight will provide a chance for him to silence his outspoken enemy.
“[The rivalry] originated from a training session we had together,” he explained “He ran his mouth about it. Training is training and he’s about to find out what fighting is like for real.”
Having trained with Bisping in the past, Rockhold was dismissive of the Brit’s abilities.
“I sparred Bisping when he was probably in the best shape of his life when he was getting ready for a fight,” he said. “I had switched my stance, I did a lot of things to help him so I wasn’t really impressed, to tell you the truth. I shouldn’t have been able to go three rounds with anybody at that stage.”
With two first round finishes in 2014, Rockhold is confident that he will emerge the victor on November 8.
“I think I’m faster [than Bisping], I know I have more power than him and I know I’m more technical than him.”
Rockhold heads into Sydney off the heels of an impressive submission victory over Tim Boetsch in April.
“Tim Boetsch is a tough guy,” he said “I knew he was going to come forward and try to wrestle. I didn’t really think he was going to try and play the striking game with me.”
“I’ve been working on that reverse triangle for many years, it’s one of my favourite moves. It was one of those moves I’ve been doing in the gym for so long and I was pretty happy to make it happen in a fight.”
Such is the rivalry between the two that the number-five ranked Rockhold turned down a proposed match-up with top contender Lyoto Machida in favour of facing off against Bisping.
“This is the perfect time for me and Bisping,” he said. “It’s never going to happen again. This is the fight I’ve wanted for a long time. I think me and Bisping are going separate ways; I see myself going to the top and getting the title.
“This is the guy whose mouth I’ve wanted to shut up for a long time and now I have that opportunity. It was now or never.”
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