Michael Bisping To Headline UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2019

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping will headline the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2019, the promotion has announced. ‘The Count’ retired from the sport of mixed martial arts couple of years ago, and joins the likes of BJ Penn, Urijah Faber and Ronda Rousey in the Modern Wing of UFC Hall of Fame.

Talking about Michael Bisping and his contributions to the sport, UFC President Dana White lavished praises on the British mixed martial artist. “It’s hard to have the level of talent needed to compete in UFC for any amount of time, but Michael Bisping was able to have an 11-year career where he became a world champion and won The Ultimate Fighter, not many people can say that”, White stated. “He also came back and coached The Ultimate Fighter and is now one of the best analysts on our broadcast team. Michael has been a huge part of not only building our brand, but also the sport of mixed martial arts. He absolutely deserves to be in the UFC Hall of Fame. Congratulations.”

A veteran of 40 professional fights during his 13-year career, Bisping compiled a record of 31-9, while capturing the UFC middleweight title, as well as the Cage Warriors, and Cage Rage light heavyweight titles. During his impressive career, Bisping earned notable victories over UFC Hall of Famer Dan Henderson, former UFC middleweight champions Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold, former Strikeforce® middleweight champion Cung Le, former WEC® light heavyweight champion Brian Stann, and former WEC middleweight champion Chris Leben.   

Following impressive stints with Cage Warriors and Cage Rage, Bisping entered the third installment of UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter: Team Ortiz vs. Team Shamrock, with a 10-0 record in 2006. Bisping breezed through his first two fights on the show, dispatching each opponent with first round stoppages, before finishing Josh Hayes via second round TKO to win the light heavyweight tournament. Bisping began his post-TUF career at UFC® 66: LIDDELL vs. ORTIZ, on December 30, 2006, defeating Eric Schafer via first-round TKO. 

In 2011, Bisping would return to The Ultimate Fighter as a coach for season 14 against Jason Miller, while training featherweights and bantamweights in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller. Bisping defeated Miller via TKO in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale.

Bisping enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:

  • 16 wins as a UFC middleweight – most in UFC history   
  • 20 wins – Tied for 2nd in UFC history
  • 29 total fights – Tied for 3rd most in UFC history
  • 5:15:15 of time inside the Octagon – most by a middleweight in UFC history    
  • 1,384 significant strikes as a middleweight – most in the history of the middleweight division
  • 1,567 total significant strikes – 2nd in UFC history (Max Holloway – 1,627)
  • 1 of 8 TUF winners to become an undisputed UFC champion
  • The only UFC athlete in UFC history to win a season of The Ultimate Fighter and become a UFC champion that also successfully defended their title   
  • 1 of 4 UFC athletes to land 100 or more significant strikes in five different fights (TJ Dillashaw, Max Holloway, Joanna Jedrzejczyk)
  • Headlined UFC events in seven different countries – most in UFC history

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