{"id":8848,"date":"2026-04-13T09:46:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/michael-bisping-confirms-retirement-99-done-1-still-open-to-a-surprise-return\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T09:46:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:46:00","slug":"michael-bisping-confirms-retirement-99-done-1-still-open-to-a-surprise-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/michael-bisping-confirms-retirement-99-done-1-still-open-to-a-surprise-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Bisping Confirms Retirement: 99% Done, 1% Still Open to a Surprise Return"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a candid interview with TMZ Sports at Los Angeles International Airport, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping made it clear that he is almost certainly finished with his fighting career. The 47\u2011year\u2011old, known as \u201cThe Count,\u201d told reporters that while the idea of stepping back into the octagon is always tempting, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of staying retired.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"michael-bispings-final-decision\">Michael Bisping\u2019s Final Decision<\/h2>\n<p>During the conversation, Bisping was asked whether the recent trend of high\u2011profile fighters like Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano returning to competition might influence his own plans. He smiled, shook his head, and said, \u201cThere\u2019s always a bag big enough to get me to unretire, but probably 99% I\u2019m done.\u201d The former champion\u2019s words were a clear statement: his retirement is not a temporary pause but a long\u2011term commitment.<\/p>\n<p>Bisping\u2019s career spanned 15 years, during which he compiled a 30\u20119 record and captured the UFC middleweight title in 2015. He famously fought Georges St. Pierre after a four\u2011year layoff in 2017, only to lose via rear\u2011naked choke. That fight, and the injuries that followed, played a major role in his decision to step away from the sport.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the physical toll, Bisping highlighted the financial side of the equation. \u201cMoney talks,\u201d he said, acknowledging that the lucrative opportunities outside the octagon\u2014such as commentary, acting, and brand endorsements\u2014have made retirement a more attractive option.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-the-door-remains-shut\">Why the Door Remains Shut<\/h2>\n<p>Bisping\u2019s reasons for staying retired are multifaceted. Below is a concise list of the key factors he cited during the interview:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Physical Pain and Injuries:<\/strong> Years of high\u2011impact fights have left lasting damage that makes training and competition increasingly risky.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Financial Stability:<\/strong> Earnings from commentary gigs, acting roles, and sponsorships provide a comfortable lifestyle without the need to fight.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Career Satisfaction:<\/strong> Bisping feels he has achieved everything he set out to do in MMA, including winning a title and fighting legends like St. Pierre.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Family and Personal Life:<\/strong> With a growing family, he prioritizes time at home over the demands of a fighting schedule.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Future Opportunities:<\/strong> He is content with his current roles in media and entertainment, which offer new challenges and growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While the door is effectively closed, Bisping left open the possibility that an unexpected event\u2014such as a high\u2011profile fight invitation or a sudden change in his health\u2014could alter his stance. For now, however, the odds are heavily stacked against a return.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-ufc-freedom-250-a-new-chapter\">The UFC Freedom 250: A New Chapter<\/h2>\n<p>During the same interview, Bisping also discussed the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card, a highly anticipated event that many fans are calling a \u201cmust\u2011watch.\u201d He noted that the UFC\u2019s lack of star power on the card has drawn criticism, but he believes the event will still deliver excitement for several reasons.<\/p>\n<p>First, the UFC has been known to pull out all the stops for marquee events. Dana White, the organization\u2019s president, has hinted at \u201ctricks up his sleeve\u201d that could elevate the card\u2019s appeal. Bisping emphasized that the combination of new talent, compelling matchups, and the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a candid interview with TMZ Sports at Los Angeles International Airport, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping made it clear that he is almost certainly finished with his fighting career. The 47\u2011year\u2011old, known as \u201cThe Count,\u201d told reporters that while the idea of stepping back into&#8230;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/influencerswiki.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}