Photo by Esther Lin for MMA Fighting.
British middleweight Michael Bisping faces Chael Sonnen tomorrow night at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois. Tonight at the weigh ins, the voluble fighter flipped off the pro-Sonnen crowd when they booed him.
It seems to have cost Bisping a sponsor based on this tweet from MMA Elite:
@MMAELITE_Alden
Alden Halpern I must apologize to all of our fans.After sponsoring Bisping he flips off fans at weigh in. He will never be sponsored by us again!
Favorite Retweet
It's interesting that MMA Elite also sponsors Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal without complaint. Jackson is remembered for his energy drink fueled "rampage" that left him under arrest for hit and run and Lawal failed a post-fight drug test just weeks ago. Apparently sticks and stones will never cost you a sponsor but flipping the bird at fans will get you off the sponsor rolls pretty quick. What do you think?
UPDATE: MMA Elite has changed their tune:
@MMAELITE_Alden
Alden Halpern I must humbly say that i jumped the gun on Michael Bisping. I just spoke to him and he truly is a gentleman.What i was concerned about.....
Favorite Retweet
@MMAELITE_Alden
Alden Halpern Is not what he is truly about. Although I do not endorse the finger, his intentions are not of bad intent but a persona.
Favorite Retweet
@MMAELITE_Alden
Alden Halpern After speaking to him you cant help but like this man. We will continue to stand behind him!
Favorite Retweet
0 recs | 164 comments
Lameness
I hate Bisping but he is playing it up to get fans emotionally invested in his fight. Even more reason to sponsor him
IRodC - January 27, 2012
I never knew he was even sponsored by them, I never buy a product based on the fighter wearing it. I think only teenagers do that. But to drop someone for the middle finger is a little crazy, its not like hes sponsored by disney lol.
mikeI981j - January 27, 2012
I bought a Tokyo Five hoodie cause I thought it looked cool on Ubereem
but yeah, this is stupid. Bisping being a conspicuous jerk is a feature, not a bug if you’re a sponsor.
Monte Fisto - January 27, 2012
What doesn't look cool on Overeem?
IRodC - January 27, 2012
a Valentijn Overeem shirt
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
1 rec?
For shame.
Farthammer - January 27, 2012
It's a pretty dope sweatshirt
but I was a little disappointed that I didn’t immediately become a 6’4 Dutch adonis when I put it on.
Monte Fisto - January 27, 2012
they all look like that here
jk they look like really tall israelis
mollcutpurse - January 28, 2012
R-r-r-r-r-REC!
Perfectly stated.
ihateemo - January 27, 2012
How about a voting option
Does not affect my likeliness to buy their poduct?
Cause I have never heard of MMA Elite before just now, and do not intend to purchase their gear no matter who they sponsor.
The Lethal Haze - January 27, 2012
Same here, seen the name. But don’t know what the hell they sell =\
mikeI981j - January 27, 2012
should have this spot to vote on.
Indifferent. It aint my money.
dandeman - January 27, 2012 via mobile
there is an option for that
don’t vote
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
throw me in on that also, I know I have seen the logo but had no idea what the hell it was for.
Shocbomb - January 28, 2012
I don't know..
They may be making a bigger deal about this than it really is. He was just trying to get a crowd reaction I think. Just trying to ruffle some feathers. I would not have found it to be personally offensive if I was a spectator.
mixedmartialmike - January 27, 2012
So Bisping flipping off fans loses him his sponsorship while Rampage forcing his way around 3rd base with reporters is all good in the neighborhood?
Noted.
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
Totally
See your point. In my opinion, that is more offensive.
mixedmartialmike - January 27, 2012
I've come to the conclusion
That you can say anything and it will turn green. I think people rec you out of habit and others just rec something they see already green.
I want you to write a pro-sopa post just to support my opinion. Let’s see what happens.
Joben - January 28, 2012
Your third base
is very different than my third base.
Ikuhisa Quinoa - January 28, 2012
Rec’d for a great point and the phrase ‘All good in the neighbourhood’’.
sheikybaby - January 28, 2012
1 anti-rec
for not knowing where the metaphorical 3rd base is
Thor77 - January 28, 2012
That wasn’t third base, just sloppy second.
mburtoni - January 28, 2012 via mobile
You mean rampage the $@&€#%!!
F.U.B.A.R - January 28, 2012
It’s because of shameful displays like this that I can’t get my grandma to watch MMA. Horrifying, just awful. I hope Bisping is released from the UFC after this. Not to mention the poor victims of the crime, all those innocent bystanders at the weigh-in. I can only hope they are adequately compensated.
Pyrgz Krum - January 27, 2012
My cousin was hit by a drive by middle finger……he was never the same =(
mikeI981j - January 27, 2012
damn dude. im so sorry
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
Its for you brother.
dandeman - January 27, 2012
No, he gets this
IRodC - January 27, 2012
Never trust a doughnut wearin alligator shoes.
lowellthehammer - January 27, 2012
Black Dynamite!!!!!!
rec’n
soilworker - January 27, 2012
Fuck, she's hot.
Unabomberman - January 27, 2012
He was just playing to the fans.....
Naztuu - January 27, 2012
Now I get why.
I’ve seen that brand somewhere. And that somewhere is Wal Mart. Doesn’t get any more mainstream than that, and middle fingers aren’t allowed.
IRodC - January 27, 2012
fuck wal mart
I steal kitty litter from them on a bi-weekly basis.
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
Thats why I can never find any!!!!!!!!
Naztuu - January 27, 2012
that's right!
I sneak that shit out on the bottom rack of my shopping cart son!
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
Those cashiers suck.
dandeman - January 27, 2012
Hey!
That directly affects my yearly bonus!
Matt Hamill's Ears - January 27, 2012 via mobile
And I don't even own a cat!
F.U.B.A.R - January 28, 2012
I knew I had seen it somewhere!
AHutch - January 27, 2012
The Rampage thing was bad, but the MO deal not so much.
Kefka - January 27, 2012
This is lame
Bisping is just living up a character. If you’re offended by that **** then you need to grow the hell up. Hell he even did it with a smile on his face.
HaterSlayer - January 27, 2012
this isnt IGN
No need to fucking sensor your shit
Ricardo Arguello - January 27, 2012 via mobile
Habit lol
I even do it with the auto censor on
HaterSlayer - January 27, 2012
how about i don't care
because i really don’t
im not gonna buy more or less mma elite products just because they stopped sponsoring bisping.
but i think bisping needs to learn how to interact with fans
DK_Monster - January 27, 2012
He is very interactive.
As the middle finger shows
IRodC - January 27, 2012
I think he was interacting just fine. They were booing and trying to get that exact reaction from him. once he flipped them off they loved it. This is really not an issue.
By the way I met Matt Sera at a seminar and took a class from him, and he is a very cool guy and very fan friendly.
Naztuu - January 27, 2012
Absolutely
It was very pantomime. The boos seemed to gt a little warmer and friendlier after the middle finger.
jim-ma - January 28, 2012
Dropping Bisping, and not having any designs with skulls on them?
Hmm … I dunno, sounds good to me.
KJ Gould - January 27, 2012
If only I could rec the brand
Jonathan. - January 27, 2012
That’s a pretty lame reason not to sponsor somebody.
Brad Ackerson - January 27, 2012
Your twitter link is funny in this case
IRodC - January 27, 2012
I had the name first, dammit!
I had a small site back in 2007 called MMA-Elite.com, I don’t think the brand came around until ’08 or ’09. At least I had never heard of it until then. I keep the twitter name out of spite :)
Brad Ackerson - January 27, 2012
...
IRodC - January 27, 2012
lol
hater
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
aaahahaha rec’d for the sig
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
i actually respect that from bisping.. if hundred of fans at weigh ins want to boo him and call him names he should be able to flip them off...
besides i doubt bisping cares about a 3rd rate mma clothing line sponsering him
nickaz - January 27, 2012
They have every right to do this, but a double bird during a way in seems pretty low on the list of offensive things mma fighters have done.
Phildo - January 27, 2012
i have no idea why I spelled weigh wrong.
Phildo - January 27, 2012
Because
You have been up all night slamming energy drinks.
Farthammer - January 27, 2012
you have the choice between spelt and spelled
and you chose.. spelled?
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
they are both correct.
Phildo - January 27, 2012
I just stated that?
The question is why you chose to use spelled instead of spelt?
spelled ick
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
because I’m not an animal.
Phildo - January 27, 2012
Are you now trying to differentiate humans from other animals?
In Rainbows - January 28, 2012
In the 209 that gets you a sponsor
Harley hooper - January 27, 2012
Merch baby!
RolloTomasi - January 28, 2012
I dont Twitter...have the responses been positive or negative...
Naztuu - January 27, 2012
well...I twittered once.....
my tongue cramped up bad though…
Naztuu - January 27, 2012
It seems like the response has been largely negative and the guy has kinda backed off his claim that they would never sponsor Bisping again.
Brad Ackerson - January 27, 2012
Can somebody please enlighten me...
Why is this so offensive in the US? I noticed they would blur it out on TV etc, now this.
twostate - January 27, 2012
it's the american sign language equivalent of "fuck you".
The Hamburger Pimp - January 27, 2012 via mobile
the same as everywhere else in the world
it just seems americans take so much more offense to it than anybody else
twostate - January 27, 2012
The general American public still has a disproportionate puritanical streak
they’re more sensitive to profanity than other cultures.
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
i also noticed that
apparently calling someone who made me laugh a “funny c**t” at wand fc didn’t go down too well.
twostate - January 27, 2012
I don't think we need to over think it
people get pissed when you flip them off anywhere on the planet.
Not defending MMA-Elite (whoever they are) but they’re probably just worried about people making a negative association between their products (whatever they may be) and a dude that people hate.
Monte Fisto - January 27, 2012
If they were worried about that
They wouldn’t even consider Bisping
IRodC - January 27, 2012
yeah that's why its silly
but I don’t think that there’s a bigger point here about American puritanism.
Monte Fisto - January 27, 2012
Probably shouldn't have sponsored MICHAEL BISPING in the first place then.
It would be like a sponsor saying they won’t sponsor Chael any more after he says something outlandish and offensive. They had to have known what they were getting into beforehand, and they just look stupid for being surprised that something like this happened. Bisping is probably better known for doing shit like this than anything he’s accomplished in competition (besides getting ko’d).
lowellthehammer - January 27, 2012
yeah
like I said, I’m not defending the move, I’m just noting that being annoyed when someone flips you off isn’t some sort of unique U.S.-only quirk.
Monte Fisto - January 27, 2012
I’m Aussie I couldn’t care less if somebody flipped me the bird. I would probably laugh at them like they were 6 yrs old.
twostate - January 28, 2012
It baffles me that people can get so offended by that. Never knew aussies use ‘cunt’ as loosely as we do
Holls Hoyce - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Its a term of endearment.
twostate - January 28, 2012
You know what, I don’t even know if they blur it in my country. But I’m pretty sure it would be considered as offensive if not more.
spectaa - January 28, 2012
Someone should photoshop that pic with the Aoki pic
halitosis - January 27, 2012
YO MMA ELITE
You’re sponsoring Michael Fucking Spitsbing. Fuck do you expect? He did the exact same thing at his last weigh in and he did even worse stuff inside the cage in the fight prior to that.
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
Exactly.
Fucking hell this is stupid. Why would they sponsor him in the first place given his history? Makes me feel like they did this in order to take some stupid self righteous “respect the fans!” stance after he inevitably acted like himself.
lowellthehammer - January 27, 2012
i think you're right, pal
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
I think MMA Elite is making well here
Free publicity!
mixedmartialmike - January 27, 2012
That's fucked up. I was there & he was just playing around.
I was in the 3rd row & could clearly see him smiling as he playfully flipped us off. He was just playing the role & didn’t seem nearly as dickish as he did during the Rivera or Mayhem weigh-ins.
The Hamburger Pimp - January 27, 2012 via mobile
Bisping is a dumbass, but nobody got hurt.
MMA Elite has to get their fucking priorities straight, especially when Bisping was just doing it for the lolz and garnering attention.
Unabomberman - January 27, 2012
MMA Elite's apparel and general style is ass ugly anyways.
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
MMA Elite has done the unthinkable
they’ve made me side with Bisping on something.
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
I watched the weigh ins and didn't even notice he flipped the bird. Weird
the mexicutioners #1 fan - January 27, 2012
probably because of the puritanical atitude in america
but seriously. the internet has made us all comfortably numb at a frighteningly young age
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
i watched them with my 17 year old brother.
and when i came on here and saw this story asked if he remembered bisping flipping the bird, we both thought he just raised his fists in typical fighter weigh in pose. i paid no attention, but i guess it doesnt matter anymore anyways.
the mexicutioners #1 fan - January 28, 2012
I am going to laugh my ass off at MMA Elite if Bisping wins and gets to fight Anderson in probably the biggest UFC card in history.
twostate - January 27, 2012
sounds like a shitty sponsor trying to get some press
no idea who or what an mma elite is
milk72 - January 27, 2012
Bisping certainly isn't MMA Elite
IRodC - January 27, 2012
Unless he beats Sonnen, in which case: fuck.
Unabomberman - January 27, 2012
if he does it will be because Chael sucks, not because Mike is good
haven’t you learned how the internets works yet?
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
I hope Bisping doesn't win because my head exploding will not be fun
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
I was gonna say I would eat my hat
But this isn’t Guillard-Miller, I’m not that confident
IRodC - January 27, 2012
pretty silly of them to do that
Bisping is a hot draw, love him or hate him.
And he was just being himself.
Anyway, that is pretty weasely of the sponsors to pull right before his fight, i hope he gets his money from them, and im sure tons of sponsors will want to take that place anyway.
elmojo - January 27, 2012
https://twitter.com/#!/MMAELITE_Alden/status/163089654378270720
Looks like MMA Elite has had a change of heart.
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
Link fail
Here, this link works better
Rob Young - January 27, 2012
Why did they back down?
That guy is not a man of his word.
/MMA fan
IRodC - January 27, 2012
Crisis Averted!
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
i love her so much
but not as much as vanessa marcil
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
I found Kristen Stewart attractive all the way in the panic room days! how many of you can say that without getting arrested?
Hendo_One-Shot - January 27, 2012
Holy shit that was totally her
Mind=blown
AwkwardBoner - January 27, 2012
I don't normally go for white girls, but when I do, I choose skinny ones.
In breaking news, today IS NOT opposite day.
SanFranpsycho - January 27, 2012
But what if it is and you're just being opposite?
Mah gawd.
gzl5000 - January 28, 2012
Not trying to be racist in any way shape or form but how do you not go for white girls? What the fuck is wrong with you. Oh by the way Latino chicks are fukin sexy.
attgnp - January 28, 2012
No, no, I DO like white girls
I’m saying because of the opposite… Oh, nevermind.
SanFranpsycho - January 28, 2012
LOL I picked that up after I posted. BE needs a delete function.
attgnp - January 28, 2012
Such an awkward, weird chick.
I hate her.
SentientAndroid - January 27, 2012
As an awkward, weird dude I resent this statement
Hendo_One-Shot - January 27, 2012
Damn....
I’ve never even met her, I have no opinion.
I would tho…
RolloTomasi - January 28, 2012
I hate her fucking movies
Twilight sucks cock. The gf made me watch the second movie a few weeks ago (the one with Dakota Fanning as some…evil, witch girl) and it was so stupid. I’ve seen 3 of her movies, The Messengers, Adventureland (I think that’s the name of it) and Twilight and she has the exact same stupid deer in headlights/confused/girl disturbed look in all 3 of them.
surprised – O_o
happy – O_o
sad – O_o
disturbed – O_o
elated – O_o
intense – O_o
SentientAndroid - January 28, 2012
I hear she's a huge stoner.
So there’s that.
RolloTomasi - January 28, 2012
I wonder if she says “Y’know” a lot?
twostate - January 28, 2012
but the real question is
does she like mustache rides?
attgnp - January 28, 2012
The internet’s great for these things
Holls Hoyce - January 27, 2012
Yeah, saw that
When I was going to their twitter to tell them who has two thumbs and no interest in buying their products ever again.
WheelieMonkey - January 27, 2012
lol
you bought them before?!?!?!
Earl Montclair - January 27, 2012
Small town, brand name board shorts are seasonal
Guess what’s everywhere and always has what in stock?
If you guessed Wal-Mart and MMA Elite, you are correct! I’d never compete in them, but I can only do so much laundry so often.
WheelieMonkey - January 27, 2012
what a jerk, he deserved that.
Rampage01 - January 27, 2012
They're with the fans....no
Bisping is being a heel, intentional or not, WHICH when he gets his ass kicked will be THAT much sweeter entertainment FOR the fans. MMA Elite you lose.
MostDiabolicalCasanova - January 27, 2012
Oh no.
Middle fingers.
I’ll be right back with a self-righteous comment, just gotta go do something more important first.
UncleMax - January 27, 2012
Glad they retracted
Just watched the weigh ins and Bisping gave the fans exactly what they wanted. He was totally hamming that double-bird. Weaksauce to pull a sponsership for that
hardlyworking - January 27, 2012
Were you expecting a nice wave and hello?
get the fuck outta here. You sign a guy like Bisping you know what you’re buying into and to say otherwise is bullshit!
soilworker - January 27, 2012
At least he manned up and admitted he was wrong.
AHutch - January 27, 2012
Alden is a master pupil of the Dana White school of human resources
hewsdaddy - January 27, 2012
i just read the whole thing
I don’t think this guy should be running a company….I don’t believe he should be able to even own a hampster.
In Rainbows - January 27, 2012
FLIP FLOP spin city, oops we f’ed up now we love bisping again so please buy our crap products
nsiegel - January 27, 2012
I’m sad I didn’t get in here to ridicule this company for pulling Bisping before they retracted.
You’re going to split with the guy who is playing things up and making people want to watch him (whether they want to see him win or lose is irrelevant) and could possibly be challenging for the middleweight title this year. Brilliant!
Kaleb Kelchner - January 27, 2012
This was totally staged
Great PR stunt
Stiff Jab - January 28, 2012
Yaa
Going back n forth kinda looked lame with them bejng there. The trash talk is still legit though
LuvinMMA - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Right back at ya buddy
attgnp - January 28, 2012
humbly jumped the gun
woah premature ejaculation
MegaReem - January 28, 2012
That chick is mean.
RolloTomasi - January 28, 2012
Thats her brother. Now whose a jerk…
Sam Cupitt - January 28, 2012
See if that guy was me id be like ahaha fuck you bitch I got mine.
attgnp - January 28, 2012
I voted More
only because I hate bisping.
I love middle fingers tho.
RolloTomasi - January 28, 2012
Now I have heard about MMA Elite, well done.
spectaa - January 28, 2012
.
AwkwardwithwordmakingisGoldberg,huhJoe - January 28, 2012
I likey
Harley hooper - January 28, 2012
Stefan Struve rolls with the 209 now...
killphil - January 28, 2012
Either that
or Bones rolls with them as well.
SentientAndroid - January 28, 2012
flip meet flop flop meet flip
biggant - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Spit at corner men no biggie
But flip off the crowd….. No mma elite for u. Um…….ok.
fightersvizion - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Great news guys, now we can continue purchasing their wonderful products! They're not fugly at all!!
Horselover Fat - January 28, 2012
I can't help but think of
INTO PIECESRAWRGDFSLLMSLM!!!
SentientAndroid - January 28, 2012
Hah, I actually own those shorts
They were the only reasonably priced fight shorts i could find, thank you Wal-Mart.
Shaun32887 - January 28, 2012
WTF
is with the skulls on MMA clothing? Looks so shit.
taptomyarmbar - January 28, 2012
nah man
that makes you look hardcore. You’re just not bad ass enough to get it.
attgnp - January 28, 2012
I guess
I am much older than 15 so you’re prob right I don’t get it
taptomyarmbar - January 28, 2012
I don't think you picked up on my sarcasm
attgnp - January 28, 2012
I did!
That was my sarcastic retort! We need a lesson in sarcasm font clearly. :-)
taptomyarmbar - January 28, 2012
LOL gotcha
attgnp - January 28, 2012
If I buy one of those shirts, I can stop training and sell all my guns.
mburtoni - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Ha
And u guys say Dana jumps the gun too early…..
LuvinMMA - January 28, 2012 via mobile
i very rarely notice any fighter's sponsor
unless they stand out like condom depot or something
mma elite is as generic as it gets and now i think they’re bitches
Cunny - January 28, 2012
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