UFC 159′s Michael Bisping: I Need Six Months Off

Michael "The Count" Bisping (left)

Bisping Facing Physical Complications

There is a good chance Michael Bisping will have to pull out of his fight with Alan Belcher April 27 at UFC 159. Michael hasn't mentioned any plans of withdrawing, but what he has discussed is the fact that over-training and the usual wear-and-tear of the fight business have mangled him into a physical wreck.

In a recent interview with ESPN.co.uk (via MMAmania.com), Bisping went into detail about the heavily debilitated condition his body is in at the moment, and it doesn't look too good. Bisping is apparently is facing so many complications with several muscles and nerves that to say he's nowhere near 100% would be the understatement of the century.

"My right arm, and this is the first time I've mentioned this, I have a trapped nerve in my neck and need surgery on my neck. The way they've described it is that if you stand on a hosepipe, a lot of the water doesn't get through. The nerves along my right arm aren't getting through. You could squeeze my pec, really get your nails into it, and I wouldn't feel a thing. My right arm is so much weaker than my left, it's called atrophy, my muscle is wasting away because nerve signals aren't getting through. I need that taken care of but I've been fighting so much that I haven't had time for the treatment ... My hand, I can't even make a fist because I keep going into fight after fight after fight. Really what I need is six months off -- but I don't want to take six months off. I like what I do, I like to be kept busy."

Bisping has made it abundantly clear that he intends to make staying in the title picture of the middleweight division his top priority. However, if he can't perform to the best of his ability in this upcoming fight, he will severely risk his chances of losing his dominant status in 2013 if he steps into the octagon knowing he's not in the shape necessary to compete. Bisping definitely needs a big win to eclipse his disappointing last fight, but at this point, it looks like he might have to delay his triumphant return to the win column as he knows can't afford another loss, especially to a fighter he knows he has the skills to defeat.

Check out all of our UFC 159 news