More Backflips, More Wild Stuff!

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

Even though it’s earned him a 1-2 UFC record, Michel Pereira should keep fighting like a maniac … so sayeth Michael Bisping, anyway.

Michel Pereira is always entertaining to watch but he sure does get a lot of hate from UFC commentators – you know, those stuffy professional fighters that have spent years being drilled by their coaches to stop taking blowing out their gas tanks with crazy backflips and spinning attacks that are high risk, low reward.

As expected, Daniel Cormier poo-pooed Pereira’s many wasteful motions even as the crowd ate it up. Even his moderately effective Showtime style cage attacks didn’t seem to earn much acclaim.

But there’s one guy who is unabashedly into everything “Demolidor” was serving up: Michael Bisping, who defended the flashy Brazilian as fellow ESPN post-show deskmate Michael Chiesa added to the chorus of naysaying.

”Michael, I love you buddeh,” Bisping exclaimed. “I love you, but no! More backflips! More wild stuff! So long as you don’t run out of gas, keep doing it! Because come on, it electrified the audience. He walks out, okay I wasn’t into the whole dance routine. He’s a better dancer than I’ll ever be. I don’t know what it is, but listen: all the stuff he did inside the Octagon, it’s awesome. It’s unorthodox. He electrified the crowd!”

”But how did his last two fights go?” Chiesa countered. “Couple of L’s.”

”Okay, shut up. I’m in the middle of-” Bisping interjected. “You gotta entertain the crowd! How did your last fight go? I was falling asleep and I was commentating. Listen dude, be more exciting. Be like Michel, that’s all you gotta do.”

”I know he’s your teammate,” Chiesa replied. “Excitement doesn’t pay the bills. W’s do.”

Chiesa certainly has a point. In a sport where your paycheck is split 50/50 between show and win money, it seems amazing that anyone takes any risks or does anything flashy. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) UFC fighters have never seemed to properly internalize the financial realities of mixed martial arts competition.

Tell us what you think, Maniacs. Should Pereira take Chiesa’s advice and calm the F down for a W or two? Or is Michael Bisping right in encouraging Michel to let his freak flag fly?