Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping insists he is 100 percent fit and healthy for his upcoming fight against Kelvin Gastelum, despite taking the bout on just three weeks' notice.
Bisping, who lost his middleweight belt to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 on Nov. 4, is eyeing a return to the "winning column" before setting up his career-ending bout at UFC Fight Night in London in March 2018.
"I feel great, the fight was a week ago," Bisping said. "I spar three times a week. UFC have sent me to all the doctors. I've had all the medicals. I'm physically 100 percent.
"I'm cleared medically, and the UFC just wanted to make sure that I'm fine, which I am fine. Kelvin's a tough guy. I respect him a lot, and I'm focused on the fight."
Bisping will face Gastelum on Nov. 25 in Shanghai.
"Last week didn't go my way," Bisping said of his loss to St-Pierre. "The best way to rectify that is to get straight back on the horse and try to get back in the win column.
"Physically, I am 100 percent fine; mentally, of course, I am a little pissed off. I want to rectify that, exorcise my demons. Best way to do that? I'm a professional fighter, get back in the ring and fight again."
Despite recently losing to St-Pierre, the Englishman is adamant that a fight with Gastelum is an opportunity he could not have refused.
"Realistically, I don't think I could have turned this down," Bisping said. "I honestly think this is a win-win situation for me. I get to go out there, I get to get back in the win column hopefully, get to put on a great fight and remind the world what I'm capable of. And I get paid again.
"This opportunity came out of the blue. I was driving down the street to go to lunch with my wife and my in-laws and I heard it on the radio, and I text Dana straight away and the fight happened."
"When it's kind of short notice, it takes a bit of the pressure off you," he added. "Obviously, I was fighting last week and I had the belt that does bring of extra pressure. This is about going out there and having a good fight.
"I don't think I performed to the best of my ability last week, and that's why I'm keen to get back in there so quickly."
With UFC Fight Night in London being touted as Bisping's final fight before retiring, he's insisting that this fight against Gastelum has no bearing on his final legacy.
"There was no sitting down with my management team and how this can define my legacy. Some play the piano, some people like to fight, and I like to fight, so let's fight."