Top 5: Michael Bisping inflection points

Michael Bisping defied the odds and thumbed his nose at longtime skeptics by reaching the summit of the Ultimate Fighting Championship mountain.

A short-notice replacement for the injured Chris Weidman, “The Count” authored one of the sport’s most memorable modern-era upsets when he knocked out Luke Rockhold to claim the undisputed middleweight crown in the first round of their UFC 199 headliner on June 4, 2016 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Bisping shut the door in emphatic fashion 3:36 into Round 1. The shock value was off the charts.

“I always knew I was at this level,” Bisping said afterward. “I’ve had my ups and downs, and I’ve lost some fights along the way. I still always dusted myself off and built myself back up. I know I’ve had a lot of detractors and a lot of people [who] didn’t believe I was at that caliber. I want to thank those guys, as well. They fueled me on and lit that fire inside me. I always knew I could do this. I always knew I had punching power. I always knew I had the ability. Tonight, of course, I got to show everybody.”

Rockhold chipped away with kicks before the fight turned in an instant. Bisping connected with a chopping counter left hand that felled the American Kickboxing Academy ace. The badly dazed Rockhold tried to return to his feet but was immediately met with a clean left hook that dropped him against the cage. Bisping showed no mercy and cleaned up what was left with follow-up punches.

Nearly a decade later, Bisping’s stunning upset of Rockhold still ranks as one of the most profound inflection points of his career. Four more to consider:

Michael Bisping vs. Josh Haynes

“The Ultimate Fighter 3” Finale
June 24, 2006 | Las Vegas
Bisping secured his spot on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster when he took out the scrappy but overmatched Oregon native with punches in the second round of their light heavyweight final at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Haynes succumbed to blows 4:14 into Round 2. Wild punching exchanges between the two often gave way to clinches, where Bisping established his superiority with positional control and a steady stream of knees to the body. He also executed multiple takedowns, consolidating those efforts with ground-and-pound and bids for rear-naked chokes. While Haynes’ effective get-up game dragged “The Count” deeper into the bout, it put a strain on his fuel supply. The situation only deteriorated for the American, who had to battle fatigue and a bloody nose. Bisping pressed the issue in the middle stanza, where he unleashed clean multi-punch flurries, played the bully in the clinch and methodically wore down his blue-haired adversary. He eventually pinned Hayes to the fence with knees and punches, forcing his retreat to the canvas. There, a few more hammerfists sealed the deal.

Michael Bisping vs. Rashad Evans

UFC 78
Nov. 17, 2007 | Newark, New Jersey
Bisping experienced the bitterness of defeat for the first time as a pro when he wound up on the wrong side of a split decision against “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 2 winner in their three-round main event at the Prudential Center. All three cageside judges turned in 29-28 scorecards: Eric Colon and Douglas Crosby for Evans, Romulo Bittencourt for Bisping. Evans completed six takedowns and racked up more than seven minutes of control time, which helped to offset the Englishman’s advantages in striking output. He set the tone in the first round, where he grounded Bisping three times and attacked him with a time-consuming top game and occasional ground-and-pound. Nevertheless, “The Count” had his moments. He answered with takedowns of his own in the second and third rounds, leaned into his unshakable cardio and outlanded Evans on the feet, only to fall short in the eyes of two of the three beholders.

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson

UFC 100
July 11, 2009 | Las Vegas
Henderson obliterated “The Ultimate Fighter 3” winner with a devastating overhand right in the second round of their middleweight showcase at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titleholder separated Bisping from his senses 3:20 into Round 2 and by doing so became the first man to finish “The Count.” A somewhat uneventful first round gave rise to the climactic second. Operating in the shadows of the Brock Lesnar-Frank Mir main event and the Georges St. Pierre-Thiago Alves co-headliner, Bisping circled away from his rival and wandered directly into the path of the American’s fabled right hand. Henderson stepped into the punch, which rendered the Brit unconscious upon impact. The Team Quest patriarch then left his feet and dropped a diving right hand on the defenseless Bisping before referee Mario Yamasaki could arrive on the scene.

Michael Bisping vs. Anderson Silva

UFC Fight Night 84
Feb. 27, 2016 | London
Bisping pushed his gas tank to the limit, relied on consistent output and called upon his considerable resolve in capturing a unanimous decision from “The Spider” in their five-round main event at the O2 Arena. All three judges scored it 48-47. Silva spent too much time hunting for the perfect shot, and his opponent capitalized on his lack of aggression. Bisping outpaced the Brazilian in total and significant strikes landed in each of the first four rounds. Some of his work was negated at the conclusion of the middle stanza, where Silva connected with a wicked flying knee that nearly brought the fight to a close. However, Bisping recovered between rounds and refused to cede any more ground to the former middleweight champion. By the time their 25 minutes were up, he had landed 33 more significant strikes and 37 more total strikes than Silva. Each man was credited with a knockdown.