Despite Preparing for Different Opponents, Patrick Cote and Michael Bisping Trade Words

Canadian UFC middleweight Patrick Cote is booked to face Tom Lawlor at UFC 121, and UK standout Michael Bisping is busy preparing for his bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 120.  However, that hasn't prevented sparks from flying between the pair.

I interviewed Cote for Fighters Only, and in response to the thought of a future match-up with Bisping, Cote revealed he's not a huge fan of the Brit.

FO: There was some talk about a match-up between you and Michael Bisping. What are your thoughts on Bisping as a fighter and how that match-up would play out?

I'm not a big fan of him and I’ve asked for this fight since 2 years ago. I think we can make an awesome fight.

FO: Why do you say you’re “not a fan” of Bisping?

No reason. I just think he’s arrogant and over-rated. I just don’t like him!

Bisping caught wind of the interview, and got in touch with John Joe O'Regan of Fighters Only to print his response to Cote's interview, where Bisping deemed Cote as "two-faced".

“Maybe all that horse meat has gone to his head. If he wants to try and make himself relevant again by trying to talk himself into a fight with me he can do, his time is his own. Personally if I was him I would spend it in the gym learning how not to get dumped on my head."

What fun would it be if it stopped there?  Patrick contacted me to voice his thoughts on Bisping's statements.  Here's one of his lines:

Listen, we never had a conversation or something like that. We just met somewhere a couple times and I wasn’t nice to him, I was polite because I'm educated. Just because I don’t spit in your face doesn’t mean that I like you.

Then, to directly address Bisping's suggestion for Cote to spend his time learning "not to get dumped on [his] head", Cote retorted:

It's funny, how can you learn to not get dumped on your head, by practicing a pile-driver again and again? I can say he should go to the gym and learn how to move on the good side to avoid being knocked out cold.

Take a stroll over to Fighters Only to read each complete interview.  In the first interview, Cote also touches on the method in which his fight with Alan Belcher ended, which drew questions pertaining to the specifics of the "spiking" rule, shares his thoughts on his upcoming confrontation with Tom Lawlor, and tells fans to be prepared to see "The Predator" back on the prowl for the middleweight championship.

Patrick Cote interview #1

Michael Bisping's response

Patrick Cote interview #2

Source:  Fighters Only website