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FIGHTER SPOTLIGHT: Ultimate Fighter season three winner and UFC 120 headliner Michael "The Count" Bisping
Oct 8, 2010 - 1:58:53 PM FIGHTER SPOTLIGHT: Ultimate Fighter season three winner and UFC 120 headliner Michael "The Count" Bisping

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By: Dan Wyatt, MMATorch Contributor

Name: Michael "The Count" Bisping

Promotion: UFC

Division: 185

Height: 6 ft 2 in

Reach: 75.5 in

Record: 19-3

Specializes: Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Career Summary: If you somehow made a time machine (not much of a stretch seeing as how I probably have the most intelligent readers in the world) and you went back about six years and traveled to the British town of Lancashire and you asked the local inhabitants about Michael Bisping, they would probably tell you that he’s a great DJ and would be caught off guard if you told them he was also pretty good at kicking people in the head. Before Bisping became a UFC star he was hesitant in training full time in MMA, not seeing much of a future in it. Instead he spent much of his time as a DJ and actually became really popular in the underground scene. Eventually, due to the insistence of his trainer, Bisping began dedicating himself to MMA and became a sensation, even earning the nick name "The Great British Hope."

Bisping became the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion and seemed to have no problem tearing through opponents on the British circuit; so, when the opportunity arose for him to step up in competition and participate on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, it was an easy decision to make.

On the show he was part of Tito Ortiz's team, and despite his success and plethora of skills he was overshadowed by Ortiz's favorite student, Matt Hamill. After Hamill had to leave the show due to injury it left a clear road for Bisping. He went through his opponents and eventually won the show, defeating the much undersized Josh Haynes in the finals.

He then won his next two fights, including a fight of the night against Elvis Sinosic. After that he fought his rival on The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Hamill. Early in the fight Hamill was able to use his wrestling to take Bisping down, but late in the second round Bisping was able to counter his takedowns and effectively work his striking game, a weakness for Hamill. The third round was much the same, in that Hamill had trouble taking Bisping down and was outpointed on his feet by the Brit. Even though Bisping had been on his back for much of the first and second rounds, he took a controversial split decision over Hamill. He later admitted that he thought he got lucky on the scorecards.

Bisping then stepped into the Octagon against fellow TUF alumni and season two winner Rashad Evans. Evans scored takedowns throughout the fight, although Bisping was able to get back up and work his stand up game. At the end of the fight Evans took a controversial split decision over Bisping himself. Evans was able to take Bisping down throughout the fight but couldn’t do anything from the top, and Bisping was able to escape and work his stand up game in the fight.

After losing to Evans, Bisping took the advice of many of his critics and dropped a weight class to middleweight. He won his next three fights, including a fight over TUF one alumni Chris Leben, who tested positive for steroids after the fight.

Bisping was then given the chance to coach the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter against fellow middleweight contender, Dan Henderson. The season was different, as instead of the coaches picking their teams it was the Brits vs. the Americans, Bisping coaching the Brits of course. The two faced off at UFC 100, the biggest card in UFC history. The fight was fairly even until Henderson landed a huge shot that sent Bisping to the canvas and followed it up with a diving strike that forced the referee to stop the fight.

He was given another shot to redeem himself against the Canadian Dennis Kang at UFC 105. In the first round Kang scored a takedown and was able to keep top control for most of the first round, but in the second round Bisping ended up on top and was able to finish the fight with a TKO.

Bisping next fought Pride and MMA legend Wanderlei Silva at UFC 110. Throughout the fight Bisping was able to control the action for most part, except for the ends of the second and third rounds. At the end of the second round Silva locked in a deep guillotine attempt but saw it go all for nothing as the bell rang and ended the round. And in the third he threw a flurry of punches that knocked Bisping to the mat, but once again Bisping was saved by the bell. Silva took a split decision that Bisping was none too happy about, and he let it be known, saying Silva knew that he beat him before calling for a rematch.

Bisping next took on the descending Dan Miller at UFC 114. Miller was on a two fight losing streak and looking to rebound. The fight was bumped up to the co-main event after Forrest Griffin pulled out of his fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. For three rounds Bisping was able to out point Miller and take home a unanimous decision victory over the former IFL middleweight champion.

He is now scheduled to face Yoshihiro Akiyama as the main event at UFC 120. Akiyama is coming off a last second submission loss to Chris Leben and will look to be putting his name back into the title picture by taking out Michael Bisping.

Strengths: Like most Brits, Bisping derives most of his skill from his stand up game. He has devastating kick boxing that can give him a punchers chance against almost anybody in the division. What sets him apart from his fellow countrymen is that he has transformed his ground game from a defensive tactic to an offensive weapon.

Interesting Fact: Wrestling isn’t as big in Britain as it is in the America. In America pretty much every high school has a wrestling team and people are exposed to it earlier, in Britain, though there are some club teams, it’s not nearly as in the limelight as it is in America. So British MMA fighters are much more reliant on their stand up game, and focus less on their ground game as they aren’t as exposed to it.

So Bisping possesses the deadly stand up game that you will find in many Brits, but at the same time has worked his BJJ into his game and can be deadly on the ground.

Weaknesses: A huge weakness is level of competition. Bisping will tear through lesser competition without much of a challenge, but when faced against a high level opponent he seems to lose a lot of his abilities and have trouble taking the next step forward.

Where he stands in the division: Bisping is currently a mid to high level middleweight; I would put him at eighth in the UFC’s middleweight division. However if he can step it up and beat higher level competition he could become a title contender.

What the future holds: If Bisping can beat Akiyama an interesting match could be Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen. After Sonnen lost to Anderson Silva at UFC 117, Bisping called him out on twitter saying "I'm gonna beat Akiyama then beat Sonnen, he can't do that to me. Come on ya salesman!!! [Because you] can't hold me down fag!” He later deleted that tweet and called it a joke, but Sonnen took it more seriously saying later on MMA Live, "Well you know I'll tell ya if Michael Bisping ever addresses me in public again I'll bury him where he stands." Of course it appears that Sonnen could be out for a year on suspension because of suspected steroid use. So before that fight could happen Bisping would probably get another fight in, possibly a rematch against Chris Leben.

How close he is to a title shot: Bisping has put himself in line for a title shot a couple times but has never been able to capitalize, but if he can beat Akiyama and keep climbing the ladder then it’s possible to see a title shot in possibly three of four fights.

On deck for next week: Next week I’ll be writing about Cain Velasquez as he attempts to become the first Mexican-American UFC Heavyweight Champion. The only thing standing in his way is the beast known as Brock Lesnar.

Dan Wyatt is a communications major in college looking at a career in sports radio and sports writing. Outside of sports you can find him doing stand up comedy or acting in the upcoming independent film, Company of the Damned.

[Michael Bisping art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]