Kennedy trys trash talk to get Bisping
Tim Kennedy made Wednesday night about his performance in front of the troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and said after his first round knockout victory over Rafael Natal that he wasn't in the business of calling anybody out after the win.
He did promise, however, that his next call out would come via Twitter or Facebook — the exact same way he called out Natal to help their fight come together for the UFC Fight for the Troops card.
Well, Kennedy didn't waste any time on Thursday fresh off his win to take aim at the most called out man in the history of the UFC — Michael Bisping. The battle tested Brit is currently on the shelf mending his eye after suffering a second injury for a detached retina after having the same ailment earlier this year.
Hey @bisping you should keep your one good eye on me and get the other one healthy. ;-)
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 7, 2013
Bisping isn't expected to come back for at least three to six months, but Kennedy still wanted to take a shot at him, and it wasn't the first time either.
A few years ago while still in Strikeforce, Kennedy launched a campaign to fight Bisping after he beat Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 in Australia. For weeks leading up to their fight, Rivera along with his sponsor Ranger Up (who also have been a major supporter of Kennedy's for years) made a series of videos poking fun at the British middleweight unrelentingly. Bisping didn't take too kindly to the videos and he ended up enraged during the fight and was accused of actually spitting on Rivera's corner after winning the bout.
Kennedy's never forgotten that moment and he spoke about facing Bisping just before his fight on Wednesday hoping that could potentially be a fight he could land in the future. Kennedy says if Bisping was rattled by Rivera's trash talk, just wait until he sees what the former Army Ranger can put together for their fight.
"We made a video and he ended up spitting on our entire corner. He threatened to kill Matt Finney's family (one of Rivera's coaches). He illegally kneed Jorge Rivera in the head on the ground and that was a PG rated trash talking. It's a whole new level if I get to fight him ever. It's not like 'oh we're going to make fun of where you're from and how you talk and how you order things like a hamburger (and call it) a meat biscuit," Kennedy told FOX Sports.
"I'll have to wear a titanium groin protector, I'll have to walk in there like the Three Stooges with my hands in front of my eyes just so he doesn't poke me. I've got to protect myself from headbutts and other things he'd try to do. It would get real."
His Twitter jabs on Thursday were just the latest attempts from Kennedy to goad Bisping into a fight, and he's not likely to let up any time soon. Given his high profile win in the main event of the UFC Fight for the Troops card on Wednesday, Kennedy could definitely get the promotion interested in the fight with his continued barbs aimed directly at Bisping.
I don't think I have earned a shot at any of the top guys. I think the @UFC should give me someone like @bisping
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 7, 2013
Kennedy doesn't even really care where the fight takes place, how the fight takes place or if he has to accept the bout on short notice. As long as Bisping's name is on the other side of the contract, Kennedy will sign. It's not a deep down desire Kennedy has to smash the outspoken Brit — it's a desire he's carrying around sign for anyone to see.
"I don't know about this deep down inside thing at all, it's very, very, very shallow," Kennedy said. "If they said 'hey do you want to fight Bisping? Yes!'. 'Hey do you want to fight Bisping on this card? Yes!'. If you had to wear an eye patch and he had to wear and eye patch? Would you fight him with testosterone? Not me, but him, yes whatever. Not deep, very shallow, I'd fight him on a call."
Hey @bisping you should keep your one good eye on me and get the other one healthy. ;-)
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 7, 2013
