MMA journalist Ariel Helwani and UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping are feuding over Helwani’s coverage of UFC 303.
UFC 303 was supposed to be headlined by a welterweight clash between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler. But, McGregor suffered an injury leading up to the June 29 pay-per-view, and the fight has been indefinitely postponed.
Helwani, a veteran MMA journalist, was at the center of reporting the latest surrounding the UFC 303 main event and McGregor’s status. After Thursday’s announcement of McGregor’s withdrawal, Helwani was proven correct, despite some dismissing his reporting as pure speculation.
Bisping made his feelings about Helwani publically known during a recent episode of Believe You Me.
“Ariel Helwani’s out there, a lot of the time posting and tweeting like he’s an expert on everything, but he knows nothing, he’s putting feelings out there,” “That’s what he loves to do, that’s his badge of honor, he likes to break news. If I hear of a situation, I’m not doing investigative journalism, trying to find out like my life depends on it, and I’ll risk everything so I can be the one to break it. Because who gives a f***? And it’s none of your business…
“What will be will be. Stay out of it you prick!”
During a recent episode of The Ringer MMA Show, Helwani responded to Bisping’s comments.
“Michael Bisping, who I see him talking about me on his show, and my reporting, with such vitriol! With such animosity and such hatred!” Helwani said of Bisping. “Hopefully the video I posted outside at 2:30 p.m. would refute that ‘I’m dying to be first’…I’ve just died to be right, to be ethical, and to maintain relationships. It’s none of my business? It’s quite literally my business! That’s journalism! That’s exactly what our job is…I know you’re not trying to be some investigative journalist. You’re a Slap Fighting commentator…
“You’re a former bad boy who became a boot licker who wants to stay in good standing with [Dana White]. So you have chosen to pick a fight with me…in order to curry favor with your boss who gives you a few quid to commentate and be excited about Slap Fighting,” Helwani continued. “To me it’s shameful, it’s embarrassing, and that’s why I refer to him as Bootlicker Bisping. And he can say whatever the f*** he wants to about me.”
As of this writing, Bisping hasn’t responded to Helwani’s latest remarks, although that could change.
Bisping entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019 following a legendary career in the cage. Helwani is a multiple-time winner of the MMA Journalist of the Year award and is a pioneer of combat sports media.
Two of the biggest names in UFC journalism are in a fiery feud, and the back-and-forths between Helwani and Bisping could be at the beginning stages.
i agree with ariel, bisping is a slapfight commentator now. thats like calling curling play by play, or cornhole play by play, or butt darts.
Ariel wears shit shoes and cried like a baby when he got banned from UFC. I’m not a violent man by any means but if I see Ariel I’ll headbutt his big gae beak off.
Spitsping is a pos and now a shill
Fuck his eyes
He won a world title with one eye.
List me anyone else who did that.
I’ll wait
He had no business being given that title shot in the first place and he’s a liar. His vision was never as compromised as he let on.
He’s been caught embellishing and making shit up about it before.
Michael bisping is the patron saint and proud member of the ass bloods.
He inspired us all to start from the bottom now we here
He has a very good book. I suggest you read it.
Yeah I’m not watching him suck his own dick in literary form
He doesn’t. He talks about the hendo KO I know you all like. It’s an A+ read. If you don’t like it I’ll give you the money back. That’s how confident I am you will enjoy it
The irony of Helwani, the previous Dana White Bootlicker calling Bisping a Dana White Bootlicker is hilarious.
Doesn’t make it untrue.
The Jeremy Horn spitting was way worse! but a noob like you probably doesn’t even know about it
I thought burkman bragging about fucking ariane was in poor taste but he redeemed himself later on when he stopped a fight himself after choking out his opponent while the ref mazzaghati stood there cluelessly.
According to Horn, the spitting incident was retaliation for Burkman spitting at a teammates wife. Who knows if that’s true or if it excuses Horn but that’s the story. But yeah, I think spitting on someone is some low down classless behavior that’s only justifiable in the most extreme circumstances. There’s a reason spitting qualifies as battery under the law.
The Renzo Gracie nut huggers hate it when you bring up that Renzo spat on an opponent in Pride just because he was frustrated at how the fight was going.
My memory of the Bisping incident is pretty fuzzy and I can’t find video of it but didn’t Bisping more spit on the ground in front of the guy like a grandmother “cursing the ground you walk on” kind of deal? I’m not covering for him, that’s just how I remember it.
Attention-whoring faggot Ariel “female name” jewani is getting the attention he desperately craves. His online tough-guy act is as gay as he is. It will be very amusing when he pushes the button of the wrong fighter and he gets smacked up.
I like Bisping a lot but Helwani is right on this one