It took Michael Bisping a decade but at UFC 199 he finally achieved his lifelong dream of winning a UFC title.
The 37-year-old Brit was a short notice opponent for Luke Rockhold after Chris Weidman got injured. Bisping was a massive underdog with fans and pundits considering how his first fight against Rockhold went — a one-side submission loss back in 2014. But Bisping proved all naysayers wrong. He was unflappable and achieved what seemed like a dying dream.
It’s the ultimate feel-good story. An athlete labelled as a journeyman ascending to the top with hard work and dedication. Bisping wasn’t the first choice to fight Rockhold, but none of it mattered in the end.
“The world isn’t perfect,” Bisping said in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour prior to his fight. “If you wait for the perfect conditions, they will never come.”
Through the years, “The Count” put on exciting performances but always fell short of earning a title shot. Between 2012 and 2014, he alternated wins and losses with two of those losses coming in title eliminator bouts. He even had a detached retina that required the full removal of his eyeball during surgery. It seemed like the road to the title kept getting tougher the further Bisping went into his career.
“That was the easiest fight of my life,” Bisping exclaimed right after knocking out Rockhold in the title fight. The irony was quickly apparent that the longtime veteran notorious for his lack of finishing ability (despite 16 career TKOs) won the ultimate prize with a legitimate knockout.
Seeing Bisping as the UFC middleweight champion still seems shocking and we’ll see how long his reign at the top lasts. We don’t know where or when his first title defence will be or who he’ll take on, but here are four options for Bisping:
Luke Rockhold
The former champion is probably undeserving of an immediate rematch given the way he lost. Rockhold was as high as a 10-1 favourite at one point but took Bisping lightly and paid the price. He could be booked in a non-title fight next to build himself back up, however the bad blood between him and Bisping fuels a rivalry that has become must-see TV. UFC 199’s post-fight press conference featured plenty more trash talk between the two and it’s exactly the type of drama that makes a trilogy fight even more marketable.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
Souza is most deserving from a competitor’s point of view. The Brazilian is 6-1 in the UFC including wins over Vitor Belfort and Gegard Mousasi. His only loss came against Yoel Romero in a controversial split decision at UFC 194. Romero also tested positive for a banned substance after the fight. Souza also presents a style that can give Bisping fits. He is a multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, has strong wrestling and knockout power. Should he get the call to fight Bisping, don’t be surprised if he’s the betting favourite.
Chris Weidman
Injury forced the former champion out of his rematch with Rockhold but when he recovers from neck surgery, he could be next in line to fight Bisping. The two-time NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler broke through after ending Anderson Silva’s run as championship and followed that with another victory over Silva and two more over Brazilian legends in Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. His powerful wrestling would be a stark contrast to Bisping’s boxing.
Dan Henderson
“Hendo” is the people’s choice here. The living legend proved he still has a lot of fight left after knocking out Hector Lombard roughly two hours before Bisping won his title. The two previously met in UFC 100 where Henderson finished Bisping with one of the most memorable knockouts in UFC history. This fight doesn’t make much sense from a “Henderson doesn’t deserve a title shot” standpoint — and Hendo hinted at retirement after his win — but it would be rematch many fans would want to see.
