Michael Bisping wanted Luke Rockhold next but his 'pinky toe' is injured

Michael Bisping wasted no time following his unanimous decision defeat to Tim Kennedy in April to pick himself up by the boot straps and head right back into training while asking the UFC to book him a fight as quickly as possible.

The fight with Kennedy left a really bad taste in Bisping's mouth not just because he lost, but because of how the fight went down once he stepped foot in the cage with a rival who had been trash talking him for months.

"Unfortunately, my last fight I got held down.  I underestimated how much he would want to engage.  He got some takedowns and he held me down," Bisping told FOX Sports.  "I certainly walked away with no injuries, not a mark on me, and I was back in the gym a couple of days later."

The gym he walked into right after the fight wasn't the same one he exited before traveling to Canada for the bout with Kennedy.  Bisping has always been a bit of a wanderer when it came to his training camps, bouncing from team to team but never really calling one place home.

Following the loss to Kennedy, Bisping realized something had to change so he ended up accepting an invitation from a former potential opponent, who asked if he'd like to come train at his gym in Orange County, California.  Bisping was humble enough to realize this was a great offer, even if it was somebody that he might have to fight in the future.

"You're only as good as the people you train with.  While I have had some fantastic coaches, training partners has been something that's been hard to get a hold of.  I stayed away from Reign because obviously Mark Munoz is my division, and a couple of the other gyms in Southern California as well, I stayed away from because they also had some UFC middleweights.  It was kind of difficult, but Mark very graciously invited me to train with him and I took him up on the offer.  I believe this is going to be a great fit for me," Bisping said about his new team.

With a gym full of monsters to train with now and a hunger to erase the memory of his last fight, Bisping lit a fire under his management team to begin pursuing a fight with the UFC almost immediately after he got home from Canada.  The fight with Kennedy is still fresh in his mind, but Bisping already has an idea about who he will get to take his rage out on when he returns to action later this year.

"I want to fight ASAP. My manager spoke to the UFC last week and there's something in the works," Bisping revealed. "Obviously, I can't say anything yet because the UFC announces these things.  I should have an announcement pretty soon."

The one person Bisping was able to eliminate from his potential opponent list was former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold, who is currently on the sidelines nursing a broken toe following his win over Tim Boetsch at UFC 172.  Bisping and Rockhold have a history that goes back a couple of years, most notably due to the British fighter bringing to light some past training sessions they shared and how he always got the upper hand on the former champion. 

Rockhold didn't take kindly to Bisping's revelation, and he's been gunning for him ever since.  Unfortunately, Rockhold won't be able to satisfy that itch and face Bisping.  At least for now anyways.

"I wanted to fight Luke Rockhold, but god bless him he's hurt his little pinky toe and he has to take a time out.  So after all that time calling me out non-stop, ultimately when it comes down to it, he doesn't want to fight me.  When he decides his little toe is up to it, I'm here, ready and waiting," Bisping said.

"In the mean time, looks like I'm fighting somebody else and there will be an announcement coming soon."