Few people have been more outspoken about the UFC middleweight title picture recently that Michael Bisping.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie Radio (via Bleacher Report), Bisping went as far as to say that if 185-pound champion Anderson Silva plans to hold up the division for a year, he should vacate his hardware.

“Perhaps he vacates the belt, and when he's ready to come back, he gets an immediate title shot and fights the new champion then … He's put us all in this position. It just sucks for the fans that want to see Anderson fight. It sucks for the fighters that want to fight Anderson for his belt, and it sucks for the UFC, as well.”

Once Silva told MMA media outlet Tatame that he plans on taking a year off from the cage, Bisping tried to make the best of the situation. He asked UFC president Dana White to make his Jan. 22 bout with Vitor Belfort for an interim middleweight title.

Silva, in an interview with SporTV, he had no issue with the idea.

"If the UFC wants to make an interim bout while I'm gone, it's up to them. I don't know if it will have any meaning but they can do whatever they want. I'm in a comfort zone, so I'm not worried about it."

The Brazilian has not defended his belt since UFC 148 in July, earning a second round TKO over archnemesis Chael Sonnen. “The Spider” did fight is front of a raucous home crowd in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 153, defeating Stephen Bonnar. However, the bout was contested at light heavyweight.

On the other hand, Bisping soundly defeated fellow top 10 middleweight Brian Stann at UFC 152, though he is just one fight removed from a razor-thin decision loss to Sonnen at UFC on FOX 2 in January. 

Should Silva, who has defended his title just three times since 2011, be forced to vacate his title if he decided to take a year-long hiatus from the sport?