UFC announcer defends Bisping amid criticism from fighter

Michael Bisping PA Images/Alamy Images

UFC announcer defends Michael Bisping amid criticism from fighter

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 3/20/23

UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje took exception to Michael Bisping’s commentary during the UFC 286 main event on Saturday, and play-by-play announcer Jon Anik took exception to Gaethje taking a shot at his broadcast partner.

Gaethje, who beat Rafael Fiziev by majority decision on the same card, stated after the event that Bisping, who’s British, should not have been allowed to do commentary for the main event, which featured Leon Edwards, who’s also British, against Kamaru Usman.

“I thought [Usman] won the fight, but I’m probably as biased as the judges,” Gaethje said, referencing the fact that Usman is his training partner. “Certainly not as biased as Michael Bisping, who shouldn’t have been nowhere near a microphone during that fight. …I just thought it was very unprofessional.”

While Bisping hasn’t publicly responded to Gaethje’s accusations, Anik had no problem coming to the defense of the former UFC fighter-turned-commentator on Monday afternoon.

1) Must say in defense of my broadcast partner @bisping, the man has zero agenda nor any bias when calling fights. Might even have closer personal relationship w/ Kamaru Usman than he does Leon Edwards. He just felt as though Edwards controlled the stand-up, landed more cleanly.
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) March 20, 2023

2) The job of MMA commentator is not as hard as that of fighter, judge, or referee, but it's hard. We are judged on every utterance over 8+ hours and certainly there are things we'd love to take back. Someone is usually upset w/ something. Never had a perfect show. Never will.
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) March 20, 2023

Thanks Doug. I always only call it as I see it. And you have to celebrate the winner, regardless of who it is. Can’t be sad someone didn’t win. Winner in all cases must be celebrated. And I have huge admiration and respect for Usman as a fighter and person. A true gentleman. https://t.co/kOaQoAP2Fn
— michael (@bisping) March 20, 2023

This isn’t the first time Bisping has faced such criticism. He was also accused of being biased during the UFC 271 main event between then-middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, to which he took ownership of his remarks without admitting fault.

“I know this sport inside and out,” Bisping said at the time. “I’ve dedicated my life to martial arts. I am so fully entrenched in the world of UFC. It’s my life. That said, it doesn’t mean I can’t get it wrong sometimes. I do look at criticism and maybe some of it’s valid, maybe some of it’s not.”

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