UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has hinted his bout with returning legend Georges St-Pierre could still be revived if Australian Robert Whittaker is out injured for too long.

Whittaker earned the next shot at outspoken Brit Bisping with a historic victory over Yoel Romero at UFC 213 last week.

The 26-year-old Sydneysider became the first Australian to win a UFC belt despite badly hurting his knee in the first round and the injury means he won’t be ready to fight again for several months at least.

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“(Fighting again) this year might be a bit rushed. Maybe at the end of the year, perhaps,” Whittaker told foxsports.com.au last week.

“First and foremost, I have to look after my body. Not looking after my body now would be stupid.”

The proposed Bisping-St Pierre fight was scrapped in May and Dana White maintains the UFC has moved on from the idea. However, Bisping’s comments on his ‘Believe You Me’ podcast this week suggest it’s not totally dead in the water.

“I’m not sure what the situation is with Robert Whittaker but I’m understanding he has some kind of knee issue,” Bisping said.

“You could see in the fight against Yoel he was clearly hurt, but I don’t know if he needs surgery or just rehab or rest.

“If he can’t fight anytime soon, George, where you at bud? Because I’m still here.

“Robert Whittaker if you’re listening, heal up, hurry up, get your s*** together. Let’s do this.”

‘GET OVER IT’

Bisping is emphatically ruling out a showdown with Romero before facing Whittaker, amid the Cuban’s bizarre recent behaviour.

Romero has been aggressively angling for a fight with Bisping, taunting him in a bizarre series of social media posts and videos since his loss to Whittaker.

@bisping @danawhite you're "champ" is scared. I will find him and he will need the octagon to protect him. #seeyousoonboyyy pic.twitter.com/Ziq0pz3Sgj — Peoples Champ (@YoelRomeroMMA) July 17, 2017

“Yoel, get over it bud. You just lost the number one contender fight. It’s as simple as that,” Bisping said.

“I know what Yoel is thinking. He’s thinking ‘if Whittaker’s out, then that means I’m back in.’

“I’m sorry bud, that’s not how the fight game works. If you lose the No.1 contender match-up, unlucky bud, you’re at the back of the line.

“What do I gain from that (fight)? If I beat Yoel Romero then, so what, he just lost to Whittaker and if I lose to Yoel Romero, it’s like ‘hold on, you just lost to the guy Whittaker beat’.

“It’s a no-win situation.

“Robert Whittaker will be my next fight, unless the unimaginable happens and GSP comes up.”

Robert Whittaker (right) during his win over Yoel Romero. Source: News Corp Australia

‘I’D LOVE TO DO THE FIGHT IN AUSTRALIA’

Meanwhile Bisping has boosted hopes the title fight with Whittaker could be held in Australia, giving the idea first raised by White his blessing.

“For sure, I’d love to do the fight in Australia,” Bisping said.

“I’ve fought there before (2014 loss to Luke Rockhold), my wife’s Australian. I actually said to my wife ‘the good news is Dana wants to do the fight in Australia.

“She said ‘I don’t want that to happen, I don’t want everyone to boo you’. I was like ‘f*** it, oh well it is what it is, it happens’.

“But I’ve got no qualms coming down to Sydney, fighting there again. I enjoyed that so we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what Whittaker’s knee’s doing.

“I like Robert, a lot of respect for him and like the Australian people, of course I’m certainly open to (having the fight there), 100 per cent.”