UFC 217: Career Rundown - Michael Bisping

Synonymous for British mixed martial arts for more than a decade, Michael Bisping accurately meets many of the stereotypes one would expect from an Englishman. The archetypal underdog, 'The Count' is the UFC's premier journeyman, working his way to the top over a career spanning more than 10 years. His bulldog tenacity is only matched by his quick wit and vicious barbs, with the Clitheroe-born fighter as renowned for the quantity of his trash talk as his strikes.

After a background studying jiu-jitsu and kickboxing in England, competing in Britain's answer to early MMA, a 'no holds barred' competition called Knock Down Sport Budo (KDSB), Bisping's initial hopes to enter the sport were besieged with monetary issues. By his own admission, the Brit spent time living in his car to travel around the country, accruing an impressive 10-0 record and winning and defending the Cage Rage, Cage Warriors and FX3 Light Heavyweight titles.

He's been in the UFC for so long, it'd be easy to forget that Bisping's origins are in the company's reality TV programme, The Ultimate Fighter. In fact, he's arguably the show's most successful graduate, winning as a fighter and twice as a coach (seasons nine and 14). However, when he burst through the doors of the UFC Performance Centre in 2006 a brash, loud-mouthed lout, you could have been forgiven for dismissing him out of hand.

As his appearances on the Ultimate Fighter showed, it's no secret that 'The Count' is an acquired test for many fans of the sport. Despite this, there are few that are as revered at home. Perhaps best illustrated by the noise and support shown in his middleweight title defence at UFC 204, this clearly has an impact on Bisping when he steps inside the cage. He retains a 100 per cent record when on British soil, winning nine UFC bouts at venues across England and Scotland, and nineteen in total when you factor in his early career.

As he enters his 26th UFC bout - the most in the company's history - it is perhaps a little sad that for all of his successes inside the Octagon, his most memorable moments have come during his losses. Anyone who has ever watched a highlight reel of knockouts on YouTube will know about the Dan Henderson right hand that separated Bisping from his consciousness at UFC 100, as well as the follow-up diving right that would become the American's personal brand.

The most damaging blow was still to come for Bisping. A head kick from a TRT fuelled Vitor Belfort would detach the retina from the Brit's right eye - an injury that nearly ended his career prematurely, and left him permanently disfigured. Indeed, 'The Count' has talked at length about the trials of handling and recovering from the injury, including experiencing intermittent loss of vision as his eye filled with blood. The fact that he is fighting at all is testament to the strength and determination of Bisping, and his refusal to be beaten has certainly paid dividends since.

While he has been known as the middleweight division's 'nearly man' for many years, this tag was to change to title contender following one of the most dramatic fights of 2016. In the main event of another homecoming, Bisping got the fight he had been dreaming about since the start of his career against Anderson Silva - arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Having outboxed the legend for the better part of two rounds, including a knockdown, the Brit again showed his remarkable cardio and powers of recovery. In the midst of confusion over Bisping's missing mouthguard, a flying knee from the Brazilian would send the Brit to his knees at the buzzer, with Silva convinced the fight was won. Instead, Bisping recovered, safely navigating the latter rounds to claim a decision victory and send a message to the rest of the division.

If that win was remarkable, his next was truly outrageous. With 11 days notice, Bisping would find himself walking off a movie set to enter into a title bout against old foe Luke Rockhold - his first championship opportunity in more than a decade in the organisation. And three minutes and thirty six seconds later, it was all over, and the first British UFC champion had been crowned.

It has not been all plain sailing as middleweight champion for the Brit, with his reign fraught with accusations of avoiding true contenders like Yoel Romero and Rockhold. This argument gathered some legitimacy when Bisping elected to face a 46-year-old Dan Henderson, ranked 13 in the world, in his first title defence at UFC 204. That decision nearly proved his downfall, with Henderson twice landing his patented H-bomb.

However, unlike in 2009, Bisping recovered from the early set back. Utilising his exceptional cardio and strike rate, he was able to outpoint the aging American, much to the delight of a vociferous home crowd.

As a result, The Count comes to New York City on a five fight winning streak, the longest of his UFC career, and highest since 2007. However, Bisping may not want to know that while he is unbeaten on British shores, he holds only a 6-3 record when fighting in the US. In particular, his record in big fights is not good, losing two title eliminators against Henderson and Sonnen early in his career before knocking out Rockhold last year.

As the cage door closes at Madison Square Garden against GSP, will the pressure get the better of Bisping? Or, if recent comments are to be believed, will he set up a fairytale finish to his career, defending his title at home once again?

Where does Bisping's career rank in Ultimate Fighter alumni? Does he need a win at UFC 217 to soldify his legacy? Let me know your thoughts either in the comments or at @TheWeighInMMA on Twitter.

MMA Awards: The Case For... Cub Swanson vs Doo Ho Choi

Matchmakers have a notoriously difficult job. Much like referees, they go largely unnoticed if they do their role properly, but it is extremely obvious when they get it wrong. However, there are those infrequent moments when they get it perfectly right, handing fight fans up and down the world with those perfect contests that last long in the memory.

2016 was a good year for fights across a number of promotions and divisions. Minus perhaps the heavyweights, the argument can certainly be made that in 2017, we now have the deepest array of fighters across all weight classes in the sport's history.

As a result, some of the match-ups seen last year have been truly spectacular, and the winner of the 'Fight of the Year' will have truly earned it.

Often, the best events come from the card with the least hype. Following the juggernaut that was UFC 205, with its stacked card and three title fights, UFC 206 looked very much like the red-headed step child of the family, especially when the initial headliner, Daniel Cormier vs Anthony Johnson, was cancelled due to injury, leaving an awkwardly-shoehorned interim featherweight title bout as the main event.

Step forward the co-main event and third fight of the card. These were two absolute barnburners, with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone's picture perfect headkick KO of Matt Brown surprisingly playing second fiddle to the quite ridiculous battle between Cub Swanson and Doo Ho Choi. Though it was touted as a 'fun fight' in the lead-up, few would have expected the 15 minute war that ensued.

Originating from what was considered an ambitious call-out by the Korean Superboy, the fight had been in the works for a while, and was seen as the first real test of Choi's UFC credentials. In the lead-up, most commentators felt that Cub would be one step too far for the youngster, and would ultimately outclass him.

As with most things in the highly unpredictable sport of MMA, they couldn't have been more wrong. While Choi admittedly took a while to warm up, the fight proved to be the very definition of back and forth. Quite honestly, how either of them made it to the final bell with their heads still attached is amazing, such was the power and ferocity of some of the punches thrown. In particular, the Korean Superboy may have one of the best chins in the sport at present, taking an incredible amount of punishment and continuing to survive and throw strikes. I seem to recall one of his countrymen being famous for something similar - Korean Zombie 2.0 anyone?

Perhaps the best thing about the contest, however, is that it demonstrated the best of each of the three main disciplines in MMA, namely kickboxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. The feeling throughout was that the fight could be stopped at any moment, with both fighters going through moments of jelly-legged trouble, in addition to submission attempts and battles for positional control. Unsurprisingly, once the crowd caught its breath, it showed its appreciation with a huge standing ovation at the end of the second round.

The real reason that this fight stands out from its competition for this award is that it's the only non-main event contest. Take a look at the list. From Bisping/Silva to Henderson/Chandler, every one of the other fights has benefitted from an enormous amount of promotion as part of the UFC or Bellator's PR machine, meaning that many will have bought their tickets with the express intention of watching the main event. I've seen it first hand at UFC 204 - while Bisping vs Henderson was not by any means an exceptional fight, the atmosphere generated by its significance made it feel all the more entertaining and impressive.

While the Cub/Choi fight received a bit of attention as a main card bout, it was by no means hyped by the UFC, and the fact that it stands out as one of the best fights of the year underlines the quality of the contest itself, rather than benefitting from a more electric atmosphere. There's no doubt that after this fight, both will be in main events in the near future, with Swanson already set to headline against Artem Lobov later this year.

Do you agree with this choice? Let me know your thoughts either in the comments section or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMAChandkler

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Gegard Mousasi

The rise of MMA outside of the US has led to a cultural explosion of the sport. From Brazilian jiu-jitzu to Japanese karate, there are now a wide range of different but equally valid fighting styles, created from many different jurisdictions.

With the rise of international fighting styles comes the strength in depth of fighting talent outside the US. In a previous post, I already covered one contender for the 'International Fighter of the Year' award at length, putting my case forward for Michael Bisping in the headline category. As such, it's only fair that this post covers someone else, as there have been many accomplishments across the European MMA scene this year.

Fitting firmly into this category is Dutch kick boxer Gegard Mousasi. Arguably one of the most under-rated fighters currently plying his trade in the UFC, Mousasi is also one of the most experienced and active. To put it into perspective, his upcoming fight with Chris Weidman, slated for UFC 210, will be the Dutchman's 50th professional bout, adding to a further 21 fights in kickboxing and boxing. Having been fighting since 2003, that is an average of nearly four fights every year, with an almost unheard of seven fights in 2005 alone.

While it is true that the majority of his fights have come outside of MMA's leading promotion, it remains that Mousasi has rarely been considered as a true title contender, a fact that is baffling when you look at his record. With 41 wins, six losses and two draws, the Dutchman has been on some incredible runs during his career and fought some of the biggest names. Indeed, between November 2006 and December 2009, Mousasi went on a 15-fight win streak, including victories over the likes of Hector Lombard, Evangelista Santos, Melvin Manhoef, Jacare Souza and even heavyweight Mark Hunt. He was also only the second man in history to stop Dan Henderson by strikes, and while three of his six defeats have come during his time in the UFC, there have been many more undeserving recipients of title shots in that time.

2016 was no different in terms of the work rate of Mousasi, recording an unbeaten 4-0 record over the 12 month period. In particular, the Dutchman enjoyed back to back TKO victories over top 10 opponents in the space of six weeks at the back end of the year, first despatching MMA legend Vitor Belfort at UFC 204 in Manchester, before running through Uriah Hall in Belfast to avenge his previous defeat.

When compared to the other fighters on the list, his is comfortably the most impressive record. Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Khabib Nurmagomedov both enjoyed 2-0 records, while Michael Bisping won a title and beat two MMA legends on his way to a 3-0 year. Finally, while Conor McGregor made history with his second round KO of lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez to become the UFC's first double-weight world champion, the fact remains that he was defeated by Nate Diaz at UFC 196, casting a small cloud over the rest of his accomplishments last year.

One criticism that could perhaps be levelled against Mousasi in the past is that his successes in the UFC have been punctuated by defeats, and that he excelled in the 'minor leagues' of Strikeforce and Dream, but has yet to establish himself at the elite level. This year comprehensively rebuffs that statement. While you can't even say it has been Mousasi's most successful year, it is certainly the one where he broke into the upper echelons of the UFC, and the Weidman fight could well be a potential title eliminator.

Mousasi's main problem is that he has been unfortunate enough to find himself in arguably the most stacked division in MMA right now, with any one of the top 10 fighters capable of beating any other. As a result, his quality has yet to fully shine through, and while his under-the-radar demeanour does not garner him the headlines of the likes of McGregor, it seems to be working in the Octagon. 2017 could be the year where he adds the UFC belt to his already bursting cabinet of trophies, and he will be watching the result of the Michael Bisping/Yoel Romero bout with interest.

UFC: Top 10 Knockouts

There is nothing more exciting as a spectator than a highlight reel knockout, and the reaction that it gets is often enormous. All fighters look for it, for both the prestige and the potential of a $50,000 bonus.

With the power that many fighters across the divisions have, it is unsurprising that there are a wealth of options for me to choose from. Nevertheless, these are my top 10 knockouts in UFC history.

10. Thomas Almeida vs Brad Pickett - UFC 189 (flying knee)

Having established a 19-0 record, albeit mostly in lesser organisations, Thomas Almeida was matched against the veteran Brad Pickett in a fight expected to test the youngster. And it certainly did that, with the Londoner flooring the Brazilian in the opening round and forcing him to recover quickly. However, when the bell rang for the second round, it took just 30 seconds for Almeida to land a devastating flying knee to leave his opponent out cold.

9. Paige VanZant vs Bec Rawlings - UFC Fight Night: Maia vs Condit (switch kick)

If there is one thing you don't expect from female fighters, it is outlandish knockouts, with the majority of fights either going the distance or ending by submission. Step forward 22-year old Paige VanZant, who in her ninth professional fight battled Bec Rawlings, who had had a decidedly up and down ride coming off the strawweight season of The Ultimate Fighter.

After an uneventful first round, VanZant landed a picture perfect flying switch kick to the head of Rawlings just fifteen seconds into round two, before finishing her opponent on the ground.

8. Junior dos Santos vs Mark Hunt - UFC 160 (spinning hook kick)

Similarly to the above example, this was a knockout that surprised many. While heavyweights are accustomed to knocking one another into the middle of next week with their fists, there are not all that many that end fights with head kicks - and spinning ones at that!

Nevertheless, in the final minute of a bloody war, JDS used this technique to perfection to stop the notoriously tough Mark Hunt - only the second time in history that the Super Samoan had been stopped by strikes. This propelled Cigano back into the title picture, and a third bout with Cain Velasquez.

7. Rashad Evans vs Chuck Liddell - UFC 88 (punch)

Brutal. That's the best way to describe the knockout of UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell at the hands of Ultimate Fighter winner Rashad Evans. Whether you believe the Iceman should still have been competing at that point or not, it was still painful to watch Liddell crumple under the right hand of Evans, as well as seeing him cradled in the arms of Herb Dean.

Having come into the fight as a considerable underdog, the power and ferocity of the knockout even seemed to surprise Evans, with his celebration a combination of shock and awe at the spectacular finish.

6. Rashad Evans vs Sean Salmon - UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon (head kick)

It seems Rashad Evans doesn't do a normal finish to a fight. Suga finds his way onto this list for a second time with his crunching head kick knockout of decorated collegiate wrestler Sean Salmon in 2007. Having been frustrated throughout the first round, frequently taken down by Salmon, Evans found the perfect, and final, response, catching the 9-1 fighter with what can only be described as a volley to the dome.

Having remained unconscious for several minutes, this KO seemed to have significant consequences for Salmon, who was unable to reclaim his form up to that point. He retired in 2013 with a record of 18 wins and 21 losses.

5. Gabriel Gonzaga vs Mirko Cro Cop - UFC 70 (head kick)

As a specialist of delivering highlight reel head kick knockouts, Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic found himself on the receiving end of a right high kick from Gabriel Gonzaga at Manchester's 'MEN Arena'. With Napau not known for his kickboxing ability, this came as a real shock in what was considered a title eliminator match-up in 2007.

Adding to the brutality was the way that Cro Cop fell. As his eyes rolled back into his head on impact, his knee contorted below his falling body, detaching a ligament in the Croat's knee.

4. Lyoto Machida vs Randy Couture - UFC 129 (jump head kick)

When the movie 'The Karate Kid' came out in 1984, I can guarantee that every martial artist was practicing the perfectly executed crane kick landed by Daniel LaRusso to win his tournament. However, few were ever likely to pull it off in active competition, and once the UFC got started in 1993, it seemed impossible that the move would be successful in the Octagon.

However, no-one told Lyoto Machida. Under considerable pressure having lost his two previous fights, The Dragon applied the technique to perfection, landing on the chin of MMA legend Randy Couture in round two of their 2011 encounter to finish the fight.

3. Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping - UFC 100 (punch)

The punch that spawned a logo and a rivalry to last seven years. After enduring months of taunts from Michael Bisping while filming the US vs UK series of The Ultimate Fighter, Dan Henderson entered into UFC 100 with a rather large score to settle.

Roared on by a partisan US crowd, Hendo corked up the H-bomb to devastating effect in the second round, leaving Bisping unconscious before he even hit the floor, with the American following it up with a vicious, and perhaps unnecessary, second blow.

2. Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim - UFC 142 (spinning wheel kick)

If this list looked at technique alone, this KO wins hands down. The speed at which the Brazilian's heel hit Etim's chin is terrifying, and the way the British fighter toppled to the floor was almost cartoon-esque.

While a shout out has to go to the recent wheel kick landed by Lando Vannata against John Makdessi, Barboza's remains the standard, and the sheer brutality of the knockout left the Brazilian giving the credit for the move to the man upstairs.

1. Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort - UFC 126 (front kick)

For me, it's a real toss up between this and Barboza's, but the fact that this happened in a highly pressurised title fight, with more than a little animosity between the parties involved, means that this has to take the top spot. Like both the runner up and number four on this list, this was a technique that had never been used to knock someone out in this way, and the speed and ferocity at which it was delivered was simply stunning.

After a cagy first few minutes, Belfort squared up for one second, but that was one second too long. A front kick crashed into the challenger's chin before he could move, putting him on the floor and sending Silva to victory. The KO became synonymous with the UFC over the next few years, being used at the beginning video package of every single pay-per-view, and this only adds to its significance.

Are there any others that should be on the list? What's your favourite KO? Let me know either in the comments or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA.

UFC: Top 10 Title Fights

As the world's premier MMA organisation, the UFC has delivered some of the best title fights in the sport. With recent years seeing the sport expand to include 10 weight divisions, there have been a number of outstanding and memorable clashes.

Below are my top 10 title fights in the UFC:

10. Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen - UFC 117

The first fight on the list involves the greatest of all time, but it's not the Brazilian at his imperious best. Instead, I've gone with his first fight with legendary trash talker Chael Sonnen, who had talked openly about how he would destroy The Spider in the lead up to the fight.

And for four rounds, it seemed that the American had got his tactics spot on, putting the Brazilian on his back and controlling the pace and striking battle. As we entered the final two minutes, it looked more than likely that Sonnen would complete the unthinkable, ending the three year title reign of Silva. However, a momentary lack of concentration allowed Silva to lock in a triangle choke from which the American had to tap.

9. Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo - UFC 194

While not the longest title fight in the UFC, it is certainly one of the more memorable. The build-up was so heated and protracted, with the Brazilian pulling out on the fight on at least one occasion, and McGregor utilising his own brand of mental warfare. With Aldo unbeaten in more than 10 years, and the Irishman the fighter on the rise, it was seen to be the biggest fight in the history of the organisation.

And in a flash, it was over. A side step and a counter left, followed by two hammer fists, and Aldo was out. In thirteen seconds, McGregor had taken his place at the top of the featherweight division, and cemented his legacy as 'Mystic Mac'.

8. Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson - UFC 204

This blog is unapologetically subjective, and quite frankly, this one's on the list because I was there! The atmosphere in the sold-out Manchester Arena was absolutely spine-tingling as the home-town champion made his way to the Octagon, with a similarly expressive response in the negative for Hendo.

The fight itself certainly lived up to the hype, with the H-bomb playing a central role in putting Bisping on the floor twice in the first two rounds. However, with the overwhelming support of the crowd, the champion rallied to pick the veteran apart for the remainder of the fight. The noise as the unanimous decision win was announced was something extraordinary, and a moment I will never forget.

7. Georges St Pierre vs Johny Hendricks - UFC 167 

The first welterweight fight on this list is undoubtedly one of the most controversial in UFC history. Having racked up an astonishing 2,204 day title reign in the hotly contested welterweight division, including an 11-fight win streak, Georges St Pierre had cemented himself as arguably the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter of all time.

That meant little to Big Rigg. Having claimed the first round, the challenger staggered St Pierre early in the second, leaving him firmly on the defensive and his face a mess. Only effective jabs by the champion prevented a 10-8 round, with St Pierre recovering to take the third. Despite this, Hendricks clearly maintained grappling control in the fourth, meaning that even with a GSP final round, the decision should have been his. However, the judges clearly saw enough from the champion to allow him the split decision win, much to the approval of the partisan home crowd.

6. Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin - UFC 116

Nothing said 'baddest man on the planet' more than this fight in 2009. After a disappointing and controversial loss to Frank Mir in his opening bout, Lesnar had revolutionised the heavyweight division since joining the UFC, claiming the title in just his third fight. In the meantime, Carwin had built up an impressive 12-0 record, becoming known as one of the hardest hitters in all of combat sports.

None of Carwin's fights had ever got out of the first round, and this one barely managed that. Carwin rocked Lesnar early in the fight, and only some strong refereeing from Josh Rozenthal kept it going, with the undefeated fighter pounding on the champion for three full minutes. However, it became apparent in the second round that the challenger was exhausted, allowing Lesnar to take him down and secure an arm triangle to retain.

5. Ronda Rousey vs Holly Holm - UFC 193

Quite simply the biggest shock in UFC history. Having dominated the entire women's bantamweight division for nearly three years, with her previous four fights lasting a combined total of just two minutes and 10 seconds, Rousey was the overwhelming favourite going into the largest spectator event in UFC history.

However, in front of 55,000 fans at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium, it was the former kickboxing champion that had the better gameplan, producing a perfect counter-punching display in the first round to frustrate the judoka. The second round continued in the same vein until Holm picked up the pace, stunning Rousey with a series of jabs, before ending the fight with a devastating head kick.

4. Renan Barao vs TJ Dillashaw - UFC 173

While the shock value of this fight wasn't as much as the one above, this was the moment that a young fighter came of age. It does have to be said that going in, Renan Barao was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, having gone undefeated for more than a decade, twice beating Urijah Faber, as well as victories over Eddie Wineland and Michael McDonald.

However, the former Ultimate Fighter finalist stunned the Brazilian with his unorthodox movement and consistent striking power, scoring a knockdown in the first round with a huge right hand. Despite dominating the champion for four rounds, Dillashaw refused to leave it in the hands of the judges, eventually finishing Barao with a beautiful head kick and punches combination in the fifth.

3. Dominick Cruz vs Cody Garbrandt - UFC 207

The most recent entrant to this list comes, once again, from the bantamweight division. Having returned from a career threatening injury and series of ACL surgeries, Dominick Cruz had reclaimed the title from TJ Dillashaw in February 2016, before retaining against old nemesis Urijah Faber in the summer.

While many saw Cody Garbrandt as the most dangerous opponent the champion had ever faced in terms of power, the consensus was that the challenger would let the emotions get the better of him and Cruz would take full advantage. However, the latest Alpha Male upstart put on a masterclass in movement and precision, making the usually unorthodox combinations and transitions of Cruz look almost pedestrian. Having knocked down the champion several times during the five rounds, the 25 year-old found himself with a comfortable decision win to fulfil his dream.

2. Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson - UFC 165

About as close a fight as you're ever likely to see. I know the judges get a hard time, and in the most part justifiably so, but try scoring any of the opening three rounds of this one. As we entered the championship rounds, it could just as easily have been 2-1 Jones as 2-1 Gustafsson.

With the challenger demonstrating outstanding takedown defence and catching Jones regularly with jabs, it took a typically extravagant spinning elbow from the champion in the fourth round to wobble the Swede. Gustafsson recovered remarkably to make the final round just as close as the opening three, but ultimately the judges saw it unanimously for Jones.

1. Robbie Lawler vs Rory Macdonald - UFC 189

If ever you wanted to see two humans push themselves to the limit (and beyond), this was the fight. Robbie Lawler is known for his durability, and demonstrated that once again in a battle that defines 'back and forth'. While the opening round did little to highlight the classic that this fight would become, the champion clearly claimed round two.

Despite this continuing into the third round, a single head kick changed the direction of the fight. With Lawler wobbled and hanging on, the challenger unleashed a barrage of punches and knees that was only ended by the bell. Another head kick in the fourth again had the champion in trouble, though he recovered suitably to engage in one of the most intense staredowns in combat sports at the end of the round.

With the fight likely tied at two, the final round was set to be the decider. With Lawler's jab leaving MacDonald a bloody mess by this point, a series of right hands connected in just the right spot at the beginning of the fifth, shattering the nose and the spirit of the challenger, and ensuring that the belt remained around the waist of Lawler.

What are your favourites? Let me know either in the comments section or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA

MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Michael Bisping

It's been a busy year for The Count, during which he has achieved feats the majority of the MMA world thought impossible. I'm sure there are occasions where even he may have felt his dreams were going to elude him, but in typical stoic British fashion, he overcame his hurdles and ends the year atop arguably the most stacked division in the UFC. With the top 10 containing the likes of Romero, Weidman, Rockhold, Jacare, Mousasi, Silva and Whittaker, it's a real murderer's row for any potential champion.

If the state of the division plays in Bisping's favour, it makes it all the more impressive that the Brit won all three of his fights over the course of 2016. And it's not like he was fighting mid-carders. Both Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson are MMA legends, and while the argument could be made that they are perhaps not at the same level that they were in years past, these were the battles that gave him the most trouble. And no matter who you're fighting, a title fight is never easy.

In comparison to the other fighters on the shortlist, both Donald Cerrone and Cody Garbrandt have better records at 4-0, but barring the recent title fight for Cody at UFC 207, the level of competition has been the lower end of the top-10 rather than title contenders. Conor McGregor lost spectacularly to Nate Diaz, and while the fight did take place outside the Irishman's natural weight-class, Diaz is hardly a natural welterweight, and had taken the fight on 10 days' notice. Only Stipe Miocic can match the Brit in terms of both record and level of opponents faced, with Arlovski, Werdum and Overeem all of the highest calibre.

However, it was the way in which Bisping won each of his fights that really sets him apart from his competition. If there is one thing we've learnt about The Count this year, it's that he never does it the easy way. He took his title fight against Rockhold on 11 days' notice, walking straight off a movie set to knock the champion out in the first round. Meanwhile, in both the Silva and Henderson fights, the Brit found himself in deep trouble, only to find the inner strength and resilience to not only fight on, but win on both occasions. 

In comparison, Miocic has spent a sum total of eight minutes and nineteen seconds inside the Octagon this year, with none of his fights making it out of the first round. While that is impressive in itself, the heavyweight champ has spent the majority of the time in a dominant position, and despite being clipped by Overeem, has not had to battle through the same adversity as Bisping throughout the year.

The Brit's fighting style has also seen drastic improvement this year, with his now legendary cardio backed up by first class head movement and a left hook that put both Silva and Rockhold on the canvas. In addition, it certainly seems like Bisping has added patience to his game this year. Despite the flailing limbs and antics of Silva designed to distract, Bisping remained calm and composed in the opening rounds, with his only mistake leading to the flying knee that nearly shut his lights off. This same patience has allowed him to mix up his striking and try new techniques, with the switch kick utilised frequently against Henderson a newer move to the arsenal.

There is also the sense that Bisping has had the fight won in the pre-show exchanges, making a name for himself as one of the most notorious trash-talkers in the sport today. While he may not be as charismatic as the original 'Notorious One' McGregor, and perhaps is not as creative with his barbs, there can be little doubt that the Mancunian has a way of getting under his opponent's skin. In the lead up to the Rockhold fight, you could feel the tension and anger radiating off the champion during press engagements, eventually losing his cool with the challenger at the pre-fight conference. With Rockhold emotional and over-confident, Bisping took full advantage to shock the MMA world.

Nevertheless, Matt Hughes famously said "you're not a true champion until you defend your belt". Having campaigned for a revenge rematch against Dan Henderson, who brutally KO'd the Brit at UFC 100, the fact that the bout took place at Bisping's home arena in Manchester added further pressure to that first title fight as champ. While some may argue that home advantage is exactly that, the expectation of the crowd can also be a hindrance. Add in the fact that Bisping had to walk through two H-bombs, and his unanimous decision win was more than a little impressive.

And so, ten years after he entered the Octagon in The Ultimate Fighter, the Brit has beaten the greatest of all time, put an full stop on a bitter and storied rivalry, as well as ending the career of a legend, and claimed UFC gold in his first title fight - and on short notice at that. If that's not deserving of recognition, I'm not sure what is.

As always, share your thoughts with me in the comments section below, or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA