Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

MONTREAL - From the beginning, they told Michael Bisping that he was too small for the light-heavyweight division, that he'd be outsized and outpowered, that he needed to sacrifice and cut down to middleweight.

But from the beginning, Bisping won. One victory after another, knockouts and submissions against the men that were supposed to bulldoze him. Still, even as he was mowing down competition on The Ultimate Fighter, even when he was winning the season, they told him the time would come. That he would one day come across guys that were way too big. Bisping told himself that when that day came, when he finally lost, he would do it; cut down to 185.

That day finally came last November, albeit in a close, split-decision loss to Rashad Evans. And so now, the man that compiled a 14-1 record against bigger competition, moves down to fight Charles McCarthy in his first middleweight bout. And much to his surprise, it's a transition that has been relatively painless.

"Getting to middleweight hasn't been a problem at all," says Bisping, who has been in the low 190-pound range for the last two weeks. " It was a lot easier than I thought it would've been. All I had to do was shed a bit of extra fat I was carrying. Because of that I feel faster, I feel stronger, I haven't lost any power, I feel explosive so I think I'm going to be a lot better. I think I'm going to perform better at this weight."

That could be a scary thought to middleweights. The Brit has power and speed and a strong all-around game. And in the last several months, he's spent time training with UFC light-heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, among others.

But color his opponent McCarthy unimpressed. In the lead-up to this fight, the American made some unflattering comments to the media, labeling Bisping "very, very average," and saying he "hasn't got much talent or ability." In his only concession, he admitted that Bisping is mentally tough, having pulled out fights against Elvis Sinosic and Eric Schafer during which he was in some trouble.

McCarthy, best known to fans from his time on The Ultimate Fighter 4, where he earned the nickname "Captain Miserable," is 10-4 in his career and has not fought in 17 months due to a torn ACL that required surgery and rehab.

Not surprisingly, McCarthy's comments got Bisping's attention, and he fired back.

"He's got good ground skills but I don't think he's a particularly well-rounded mixed martial artist," he says. "I think he's quite mentally weak from what I've seen. If things don't go his way, he seems to crumble under the pressure. That's what I personally think.

"That said, I don't take anyone lightly," Bisping continued. "I've trained real hard for this fight, and I hope he comes in in good shape. I'm sure he will. This is a big chance for him. I think it puts him back on the radar, so to speak, so I'm expecting him to have prepared well and be ready, but I think I should take him out inside a round to be honest."

McCarthy also raised a few eyebrows when he noted his opinion that he has the best jiu-jitsu in the UFC's middleweight division, which includes black belts Anderson Silva, Ricardo Almeida, Demian Maia, Nate Marquardt and Travis Lutter, among others.

While McCarthy may hold incredible confidence in his ground game, he is likely going to have to find a way to get and keep Bisping there. While top wrestlers like Matt Hamill and Rashad Evans have been able to bring "the Count" to the mat, neither they nor anyone else has been able to keep him there for long. He has illustrated an uncanny ability to scramble to an upright position and bring the fight where he is most comfortable: standing.

The 185-pound division is unlike any other in UFC. The king (Anderson Silva) is sitting on high, and everyone else is on another level, looking up in admiration. Sure, people think he can beaten, but no one has yet to find a way.

Bisping clearly hopes and believes he can get into the title picture by stringing together two or three wins in a row, and sets a goal of mid-to-late 2009 to be in contention for the title shot.

"I need to establish myself in the weight class first, which I'm hoping to do starting on Saturday," he says. "I bring a certain reputation from light-heavyweight that I bring with me, but I'm still learning a lot. I'm a natural fighter and I'm learning every day."

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