Gegard Mousasi Says UFC Gives Better Treatment to English Speaking Fighters

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson for the UFC middleweight championship tops the UFC 204 bill this weekend in Manchester England. Once the dust has settled, regardless of who wins, who gets the next shot?

There is an unofficial middleweight tournament set with Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero part of the UFC 205 offering in New York on November 12 and Luke Rockhold vs. Jacare Souza headlining UFC 101 in Melbourne, Australia later that month.

The most likely scenario is the fighter who emerges victorious and with the most style points will probably get the next crack at the 185-pound title. Gegard Mousasi however, feels the UFC matchmakers have set these fights up to favor an American option.

“I feel they got matched up that way just to be sure that an American guy wins and goes for the title,” said Mousasi. “I feel Yoel Romero or Jacare should have fought for the title a long time ago but they don’t speak English so well. They’re a little more hesitant to give them a title shot. If you speak American, it’s better, people understand what you say, they connect to you so it’s business. Like Conor McGregor fighting for the other title.

"I don’t think he deserved that one. He lost one in that division and the other win was average. They earned their way, Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman, they earned to fight for the belt, that’s elimination fights there so they deserve it but I feel like there is a difference between who will get it first.”

Vitor Belfort vs. Gegard Mousasi serves as the UFC 204 co-main event and goes down this weekend in Manchester, England.