I’m a UFC legend who fought Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre and Vitor Belfort – but no one hit me harder than ‘Hendo’
Michael Bisping has been hit by the toughest men on this planet but there’s one punch he ate that he’ll never forget. ‘The Count’ consistently defied the odds during his legendary 11-year fighting career that peaked when he was crowned a UFC champion. Bisping retired from MMA after lucrative fights against Georges St-Pierre and Kelvin Gastelum Bisping was the first British fighter to compete in a UFC main event and won the middleweight title in Dana White’s promotion three years after becoming legally blind in his right eye. The 46-year-old only suffered three knockout losses during a career that saw him trade shots with Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Vitor Belfort, Luke Rockhold and many more big-hitting MMA legends. Bisping suffered a detached retina when Belfort whacked him with a leg kick in 2013, which led to him lying to doctors to keep his fighting career intact with one working eye. However, the Mancunian says one man’s power stood out from the rest. “Dan Henderson,” Bisping told talkSPORT.com instantly when asked who hit him the hardest during his career. “Because he knocked me out cold. He knocked me out cold in the first one. He’s knocked out a lot of people like Fedor Emelianenko.” Bisping and Henderson clashed twice inside the Octagon during their careers, trading victories as they attempted to become the best middleweight in the world. Henderson had a knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva and boasted one of the best records in the sport against world class opposition when he met Bisping at UFC 100 in July 2009. Bisping was 18-1 in pro MMA after winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2006 and doing the same in the first six of his seven UFC bouts. The Englishman had never been knocked out in his career at that point and tried his very best to avoid Henderson’s trademark ‘H-bomb’ in the first round. Bisping fought Henderson (left) twice in his UFC careerGetty Images - Getty ‘Hendo’ famously knocked out the Brit at UFC 100Getty Images - Getty Bisping was left motionless after being cracked with a thunderous overhand rightGetty After a few stumbles in the opening sequence, Bisping regrouped for round two but found his head on the canvas soon after. Just after the three-minute mark, Henderson dropped his shoulder and cracked Bisping with a huge overhand right. Bisping was knocked out instantly and Henderson added insult to injury when he followed up with one final thunderous blow that made sure the lights were shut off. “In the second fight we had, of course, the whole training camp was about avoiding that right hand,” Bisping added. “But he’s built a career on that right hand. Cracked me in the first round and almost knocked me out. “Cracked me in the second round and almost knocked me out. Then I did enough to win the rest of the rounds. Bisping claimed the middleweight belt after knocking out Luke Rockhold at UFC 199Getty Images - Getty And got the last laugh when defeating Henderson in their rematch at UFC 204 in front of an adoring Manchester crowdGetty Images - Getty “But he shattered my orbital. He’s got a good right hand. Dynamite Dan!” It was Bisping who ultimately got the last laugh in their bitter feud, defeating Henderson in their rematch at the Manchester Arena in 2016. Bisping was the middleweight champion at the time having stunned another rival in Luke Rockhold to claim gold at 185lbs in the main event of UFC 199. Henderson knocked Bisping down twice in their rematch but the Brit outpointed his opponent to claim a unanimous decision victory as the Manchester crowd erupted. ‘The Count’ lost his belt to Canadian MMA icon St-Pierre at UFC 217, which took place just over a year after Bisping’s victory over Henderson. Just weeks later, Bisping found himself in the Octagon with Kevin Gastelum. Michael Bisping's final five UFC fights End of an era Loss to Kevin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night via first-round KO in Shanghai, China on November 25, 2017 Loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 via third-round submission in New York City, New York on November 4, 2017 (Lost middleweight title) Win over Dan Henderson at UFC 204 via unanimous decision in Manchester, England on October 8, 2016 (Defended middleweight title) Win over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 via first-round KO in Inglewood, California on June 4, 2016 Win over Anderson Silva at UFC Fight Night via unanimous decision in London, England on February 27, 2016 He was knocked out in the first round two-and-half minutes into his main event bout with Gastelum and walked away from the sport shortly after.
Michael Bisping has been hit by the toughest men on this planet but there’s one punch he ate that he’ll never forget.
‘The Count’ consistently defied the odds during his legendary 11-year fighting career that peaked when he was crowned a UFC champion.
Bisping was the first British fighter to compete in a UFC main event and won the middleweight title in Dana White’s promotion three years after becoming legally blind in his right eye.
The 46-year-old only suffered three knockout losses during a career that saw him trade shots with Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Vitor Belfort, Luke Rockhold and many more big-hitting MMA legends.
Bisping suffered a detached retina when Belfort whacked him with a leg kick in 2013, which led to him lying to doctors to keep his fighting career intact with one working eye.
However, the Mancunian says one man’s power stood out from the rest.
“Dan Henderson,” Bisping told talkSPORT.com instantly when asked who hit him the hardest during his career.
“Because he knocked me out cold. He knocked me out cold in the first one. He’s knocked out a lot of people like Fedor Emelianenko.”
Bisping and Henderson clashed twice inside the Octagon during their careers, trading victories as they attempted to become the best middleweight in the world.
Henderson had a knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva and boasted one of the best records in the sport against world class opposition when he met Bisping at UFC 100 in July 2009.
Bisping was 18-1 in pro MMA after winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2006 and doing the same in the first six of his seven UFC bouts.
The Englishman had never been knocked out in his career at that point and tried his very best to avoid Henderson’s trademark ‘H-bomb’ in the first round.
After a few stumbles in the opening sequence, Bisping regrouped for round two but found his head on the canvas soon after.
Just after the three-minute mark, Henderson dropped his shoulder and cracked Bisping with a huge overhand right.
Bisping was knocked out instantly and Henderson added insult to injury when he followed up with one final thunderous blow that made sure the lights were shut off.
“In the second fight we had, of course, the whole training camp was about avoiding that right hand,” Bisping added.
“But he’s built a career on that right hand. Cracked me in the first round and almost knocked me out.
“Cracked me in the second round and almost knocked me out. Then I did enough to win the rest of the rounds.
“But he shattered my orbital. He’s got a good right hand. Dynamite Dan!”
It was Bisping who ultimately got the last laugh in their bitter feud, defeating Henderson in their rematch at the Manchester Arena in 2016.
Bisping was the middleweight champion at the time having stunned another rival in Luke Rockhold to claim gold at 185lbs in the main event of UFC 199.
Henderson knocked Bisping down twice in their rematch but the Brit outpointed his opponent to claim a unanimous decision victory as the Manchester crowd erupted.
‘The Count’ lost his belt to Canadian MMA icon St-Pierre at UFC 217, which took place just over a year after Bisping’s victory over Henderson.
Just weeks later, Bisping found himself in the Octagon with Kevin Gastelum.
Michael Bisping's final five UFC fights
End of an era
Loss to Kevin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night via first-round KO in Shanghai, China on November 25, 2017
Loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 via third-round submission in New York City, New York on November 4, 2017 (Lost middleweight title)
Win over Dan Henderson at UFC 204 via unanimous decision in Manchester, England on October 8, 2016 (Defended middleweight title)
Win over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 via first-round KO in Inglewood, California on June 4, 2016
Win over Anderson Silva at UFC Fight Night via unanimous decision in London, England on February 27, 2016
He was knocked out in the first round two-and-half minutes into his main event bout with Gastelum and walked away from the sport shortly after.
