OK, we’re not naive enough to ignore the fact that sporting superstars associated with rival broadcasters were not included on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist.
Team Sky’s Chris Froome, who defended his Tour de France title this year, and Eddie Hearn-promoted Anthony Joshua, who won the IBF heavyweight title this year and continued his record of knocking out each and every one of his professional opponents, were ignored.
So too was UFC superstar Michael Bisping who, this year alone, beat the greatest fighter of all time in London, upset the odds to claim the UFC middleweight title against his fiercest rival and avenged his most famous defeat in his home city of Manchester.
Murray the frontrunner https://t.co/x0NXWKyRQX
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 28, 2016
At 37 years old, Bisping seems to have hit a rhythm with head coach Jason Parillo and his five-fight winning streak is testament to the success of that relationship.
Anderson Silva, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson all fell victim to the TUF veteran in 2016 but that wasn’t enough to earn him the nod for the SPOTY gong.
The fact that UFC events are exclusively broadcast by BT Sport in the UK probably has absolutely NOTHING to do with it.
But ‘The Count’ wasn’t prepared to accept the snubbing as he turned down a subsequent invitation from the BBC to attend the ceremony.
Thanks 4 the invite #bbcsportspersonalityawards .But until U recognize the hard work myself and my fellow fighters put in, I won't be there!
— michael (@bisping) December 7, 2016
We can’t say we blame him.
Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.
