EXCLUSIVE | Tyron Woodley questions the logic behind Michael Bisping fighting Kelvin Gastelum

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley does not understand the logic behind Michael Bisping’s decision to make a quick turnaround and fight Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai.

Just three weeks after being choked unconscious by Georges St-Pierre in the main event of UFC 217, former champion Michael Bisping was back in the octagon staring down dangerous middleweight Kelvin Gastelum.

“The Count” had taken the fight with Gastelum on short-notice after Anderson Silva was forced out of the bout due to a potential doping violation from USADA.

Unfortunately for Bisping and his fans, the outspoken British fighter was not able to bounce back into the win column at UFC Shanghai and instead had his head bounced off the octagon canvas after Gastelum landed an absolutely crushing left hand.

Shortly following the UFC Shanghai main event many members of the MMA community including Ben Askren and Joe Rogan took aim at the promotion for allowing Michael Bisping to make such a quick turnaround.

Last night current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley echoed the comments made by “Funky” and the UFC commentator in an interview with BJPENN.com’s Chris Taylor.

“You know, I never want to tell a fighter what they should do.. But you (Michael Bisping) just got choked unconscious three weeks before. You just fought, and headlined, a huge card at the most world famous arena. It turned out to be the second best showing in Madison Square Garden’s history. You went out and fought the greatest welterweight of all-time (Georges St-Pierre), I hate to say that, but right now it is true. But you fought him (GSP), got choked out, and then the thing you want to do is go back and fight Kelvin Gastelum in Shanghai on Fight Pass? I just don’t feel like that is a very intelligent move. I don’t know who is managing him and who thought that is was a good idea. I mean Kelvin Gastelum is a hard matchup for him. He may have never beat Kelvin Gastelum even with a six week camp and no brain trauma or concussions. I mean the freshest Michael Bisping possible and he still might not have won. One thing about Kelvin, he may not make weight, but he shows up and performs better than when he practices. Everybody that is in the gym knows, he (Gastelum) is that guy, there is something about the fight game where the odd guy just over performs better in the cage than they do in practice. That is Kelvin. He performs so well in the cage. Well except against me, then he’s just swinging at the air missing,” Woodley said jokingly. “Michael Bisping hasn’t even got the pay-per-view money yet for UFC 217. That doesn’t come for ninety days after the event. He will get that fat check sometime in February. I mean it’s not like Bisping needed the money. The guys constantly on FOX, he does movies here and there and just got a huge payday with Georges. What was the logic in fighting Gastelum. Who weighed the risk and reward? It proved to be a huge risk that he shouldn’t have taken.”

What was your reaction to Michael Bisping’s quick turnaround to fight Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai. Sound off PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 30/11/2017.