Bisping Bites Back; Rivera Unimpressed at UFC 127 Presser

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The staredown between Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera was tense, to say the least.

After the fighters each answered questions from the media at the UFC 127 prefight press conference, the pair stood face-to-face, with Bisping jutting his jaw out and pointing a finger at Rivera's chest. What was said was inaudible, but the dialogue did not appear friendly.

Leading up to his middleweight clash with Bisping this Saturday at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, Rivera has certainly talked the talk. “El Conquistador” has mocked Bisping in a series of YouTube videos which poke fun at everything from The Brit's perceived lack of knockout power to his contentious split decision victory over Matt Hamill. Most recently, Rivera paid homage to “South Park” while dissing his foe, putting his own twist on one of the show's most famous, profanity-laced musical numbers.

At Tuesday's presser, Bisping let everyone know that he intended to answer Rivera's verbal taunts with physical ones when they step into the cage, even as he fired back at the American with some aural bullets of his own.

“For me, I’ve got a big fight to prepare for, and I’m trying to behave accordingly. I’m a professional fighter, not an idiot in the schoolyard, making up silly rhymes and jokes and stupid videos,” said Bisping. “This is a press conference, by the way, Jorge. I know it's your first time involved in something like this. Welcome to the big leagues. After this, you'll be back to the undercard, believe me.”

Bisping went on to explain how and why he would come out on top come fight time.

“I’m looking forward to correcting him on a few of his opinions. I think he's massively underestimating me, and I’m looking forward to making fool out of him,” said Bisping. “I’m going to do my talking with my fists -- punches, kicks, knees, elbows, jiu-jitsu, wrestling. Half of that stuff, he doesn't know what it is.”

When asked about his motives behind his prefight antics, a stoic Rivera asserted that while it was fun to rile his opponent, the videos also served a purpose.

“Some of it was for fun, and some of it was to get in his head and see how he reacts and see what's going on,” said Rivera. “I’m cool with it.”

Taunts aside, Bisping believes he's the more modern fighter, a hypothesis that Rivera seems eager to test at full speed.

“Jorge is a relic. He's a throwback to the beginning of mixed martial arts,” said Bisping. “I’m a complete mixed martial artist, and I'll be showing him that [in the cage]. And I'll do most of my talking then.”

“I look forward to that,” replied Rivera. “I'm ready whenever you're ready. I’m done talking.”

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