UFC Struggle Evening: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker delivered extra than simply fights within the cage—it additionally stirred controversy outdoors of it. Through the preliminary card in Doha, Qatar, UFC commentator Michael Bisping took a shot at WWE whereas discussing heavyweight Denzel Freeman’s background.
Freeman, making his UFC debut in opposition to Marek Bujło, beforehand hung out in WWE’s developmental system after being recruited out of school in 2014. However based on Bisping, it didn’t final lengthy—and for a motive that set off alarm bells in wrestling circles.
“He was on the roster for skilled wrestling to be in WWE,” Bisping mentioned throughout the dwell broadcast. “He didn’t prefer it as a result of it was simply too faux. Clearly, it’s solely faux. They stored telling him to decelerate in coaching…”
The comment got here as Freeman confirmed off his pace and explosiveness—traits that apparently clashed with WWE’s in-ring coaching. “Slowing down” is usually suggested in professional wrestling to guard opponents in choreographed matches, however Bisping’s blunt dismissal of the complete trade as “solely faux” triggered flashbacks to a debate wrestling veterans and crossover athletes have been making an attempt to accept years. Boxing’s lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who wrestled Braun Strowman in WWE, had a far totally different expertise:
“I’d say there’s 100 instances extra influence than in boxing… It’s painful to say the least.”
Bisping’s jab might have been offhanded, nevertheless it reignited a long-running dialog about how the world views skilled wrestling. It’s scripted, sure—however faux? Ask the bruises, damaged bones, and rehab payments.
Do you suppose Bisping was out of line calling WWE “solely faux,” or was he simply talking his thoughts? Drop your ideas within the feedback and tell us the place you stand.
November 22, 2025 4:03 pm