Michael Bisping named UFC Fighter of the Year
UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping was named the UFC’s Fighter of the Year by Rolling Stone.
Since winning the Ultimate Fighter Season 3 in 2006, Michael “The Count” Bisping has had the highest of highs and lowest of lows while employed by the UFC. He was on the receiving end of one of the most devastating knockouts in UFC history at UFC 100 at the hands of Dan Henderson. Bisping also had a detached retina that almost ended his career in 2013. Through it all, Bisping overcame all the adversity and is now sitting on top of the world.
Bisping started 2016 with a fight against a man considered by many the greatest middleweight fighter of all time, Anderson Silva, at UFC Fight Night 84. Silva was the middleweight champion from 2006-2013 and is the longest reigning champion in UFC history. Bisping had wanted the fight with Silva since his middleweight debut in 2008. After eight years, Bisping got his wish and won the fight by unanimous decision.
Bisping was then called to fill in for an injured Chris Weidman to face Luke Rockhold for the UFC middleweight championship on just 17 days notice at UFC 199. Rockhold had previously beat Bisping at UFC Fight Night 55 by second round submission. Rockhold was a heavy favorite heading into the rematch, but Bisping shocked the world and beat Rockhold by KO in the first round to become the UFC middleweight champion.
His first title defense came at UFC 204 against longtime foe, Dan Henderson in his hometown of Manchester, England. Henderson dropped Bisping twice early in the fight, almost scoring a KO both times. Bisping weathered the early storm and got his redemption over Henderson, winning the fight by unanimous decision.
After a very eventful 2016, Bisping was a clear cut winner for Fighter of the Year.
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