Britain's Michael Bisping calls Luke Rockhold a 'faggot' after UFC title win

• UK fighter has history of using homophobic language
• UFC has said it would welcome a gay fighter into promotion

Great Britain has its first UFC champion but Michael Bisping’s victory over Luke Rockhold was sullied after he called his American opponent a “faggot” in a postfight confrontation.

The fighters got into a heated argument after Rockhold refused to shake Bisping’s hand after Saturday night’s press conference. “Give your respect, don’t be a smug dick about it,” Rockhold said.

“I knocked you out twice now!” Bisping said, in reference to Saturday night’s fight and a sparring session between the pair in the past. The two then traded profanities before Bisping called Rockhold a “faggot”.

Bisping immediately said “Shit, I shouldn’t have said that” before turning to the media and saying “delete that comment”. One member of the audience commented: “No one’s got cameras.” The smile on Bisping’s face suggests he may not consider his comment a huge mistake.

The Guardian has contacted the UFC for comment on the incident.

While some may attempt to excuse Bisping’s comments after an emotional victory, the Englishman has used homophobic language in the past. In the UFC’s own promotional video for UFC 127, Bisping is captured calling his opponent Jorge Rivera a “faggot motherfucker”.

Bisping’s comments will be a headache for the UFC, which has made huge efforts to become part of the mainstream. The UFC president Dana White has said he would welcome a gay fighter. “Some of our guys, and I have said some things that make it look like we’re homophobes,” White said in 2013. “But we’re not, and we’ve apologized.”

Bisping’s comments appear to show the UFC still has some way to go.

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