Michael Bisping

By FCF Staff

Michael Bisping has agreed to fight Anderson Silva at UFC Fight Night 83, but the middleweigh is calling for the legend to be stringently tested leading up to their February 27th bout.

In the past, Bisping said he wasn’t interested in facing Silva, as a result of the latter’s positive test for performance-enhancing-drugs. Most recently, however, Bisping reversed that stance and the two were booked for battle.

In advance of the fight, the UFC held a media call, and during it Bisping had this to say about Silva (quote via MMA Junkie.com):

“We’re all chasing a dream – a dream of being a champion,” Bisping said. “You’ve got to do it through hard work and determination. But Anderson Silva tested positive for not one, not two, but for three banned substances. And while I respect him as a fighter, I lost a lot of respect for him for that. To call yourself a martial artist and take performance-enhanging drugs is the biggest contradiction you can make. I hope Anderson is tested many times (before we fight). He should be tested many times because he failed the test – not once, not twice, but three times.”

Bisping, meanwhile, is coming off consecutive wins over CB Dollaway and Thales Leites. UFC FN 83 will be hosted by London’s O2 Arena.