Alan Belcher Sets Record Straight On 'Calling Out' Michael Bisping

It appears to be a busy few weeks for middleweights calling out Michael Bisping.


After it was announced that Hector Lombard's Octagon debut was sidetracked after his original opponent, Brian Stann, suffered an injury, the former Bellator middleweight king campaigned for a fight with Bisping to no avail. 


Earlier this week, fellow world-ranked slugger Stann told MMAJunkie.com: "I think the fans have wanted that fight [with Bisping] ever since I dropped to 185. It's bound to happen sooner or later — why not now?"


The latest name to reportedly call for a fight with the British middleweight is resurging standout Alan Belcher. "The Talent", however, believes his words may have been taken out of context.


"A night or two ago Michael Bisping, a UFC fighter in my division, said he would like to fight me because he is sick of me calling him out," Belcher wrote in a post on his official website.

"What has happened here is that Bisping has read way to many articles and he’s let it get into his head. You know how the media can turn things around right? For instance, if they really want you to call out someone, they will ask you who you would like to fight. When you say anyone, they will reply with, 'If you had to chose someone, who would it be'. If you’re short with your response and still don’t choose an individual, they may give you a choice between two guys. Once you commit to one or the other even without full confidence, they then can form the headline 'Belcher calls out Bisping'. Funny right?

Well it seems the count has let this get to him, and he’s a little angry. So let me go on the record and say, I never called out Bisping, but if that fight will get me closer to my belt, I will except the fight, train my butt off, and knock out Mike in the first round!"

Bisping remains on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus on June 14. "The Count" was slated to meet Tim Boetsch at this month's UFC 149, however, former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard will now step in for the injured Brit.

Belcher, meanwhile, is currently riding an impressive four-fight win streak, including a 2-0 run since returning from a near career-ending eye injury last year. After returning last September with a first-round stoppage of veteran Jason MacDonald, "The Talent" followed the win up with arguably the most impressive performance of his career — a vicious technical knockout stoppage of submission savant Rousimar Palhares on FOX last May.