Per.se.ver.ance |noun|: Michael Bisping

11:30 PM
March 10th, 2019,
“Hey Tarek, look its Michael Bisping!”
I was woken from my daydream by the sound of my companion for the night. It wasn’t so much of a daydream as it was an evening one, awake but my mind somewhere other than Toronto’s Hall, the bar we were in.

The cigarette smoke was thick, and I wondered how much longer we’re going to stay there. Suddenly, Michael Bisping walks in casually, carrying an ora that changed the atmosphere of the room. Right at that second, my urge to leave the bar became an afterthought. Realizing that my night was about to get more interesting than I’ve ever thought.

Michael “The Count” Bisping, a man known for the longest time as the face of MMA for the UK market, selling more tickets, achieving more things than any British fighter could ever dream of. However, there was a knock on him throughout the years that he always fell short in the biggest fights where it mattered the most. Falling short in every title eliminator fight that if he had won, he would’ve been the next man in line for the title shot.

After winning the Ultimate Fighter tournament back in 2006, Bisping had one goal in mind, to prove that he was good enough to become the first British UFC Champion of the world. In the process, he was willing to sacrifice anything it took, literally.

Following his first UFC win, “The Count” went on an absolute tear, managing to win seven out of eight fights before meeting his rival Dan Henderson, who carried the most feared right hand in the sport at the time.

Dateline Las Vegas, UFC100, July 2009. It was the historic 100th event that the UFC held in the fight capital of the world. While Millions watched the milestone event, Michael Bisping suffered a vicious knockout. Leaving the Clitheroe born devastated, embarrassed, but far from done.

“Character consists of what you do in the Third and Fourth tries.”
-James A. Michener

Although it was a heartbreaking loss for Bisping and people witnessed him hurting from the outside, his character strengthened on the inside. Realizing that while everyone was saying he’s done, he knew that he was just getting started, and it was going to take a whole lot more than a Knockout loss to get rid of him.

As true champions do, he picked himself, dusted off the cobwebs, and went again.
It was a rocky ride for the pride of Britain, to say the least. Gaining momentum and traction, then losing it a few months later in close decisions to individuals who failed multiple drug tests following his bout.

January 19th, 2013,

Following Bisping’s dominating win over the forever game Brian Stan, “The Count,” found himself in another title eliminator fight in enemy territory against the Brazillian Vitor Belfort, famously known for being on performance-enhancing drugs. I mean, just look at him, for god’s sake.

Referee Dan Miragliotta stops the fight in the second round, pulling the Brazillian off Bisping, who had suffered yet another title eliminator loss with a vicious head kick. However, falling short in the fight was nothing compared to what he had really lost from that head kick, the vision in his right eye due to a detached retina.

I remember hearing the news about Bisping’s eye injury. Anger was what I had felt. Knowing that the Clitheroe born stepped in the octagon that night with a fighter that had what looked like an entire laboratory of performance-enhancing drugs injected into his body left me with anger and resentment towards the Brazillian who was tarnishing the sport that I fell in love with since being a kid.

The unbelievable heart and perseverance of Michael Bisping were yet again shown on full display. Picking himself back up with a compromised vision still hungrier than ever is something I will never fathom. Gaining respect and admiration for “The Count” is an understatement, but at that moment, I truly believed that he was destined for greatness. I just didn’t know how much more it was going to take, but just like him, I knew it.

Almost 2 years following the eye injury, Bisping was headlining another title eliminator showdown against the most feared contender at the time, who went on to become the UFC middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold.
Rockhold was a great fighter, but aside from that, his ego and arrogance as if he is better than anyone god ever created on this planet made it hard not to dislike him by most of the MMA community.

“Thank you all for the support, I’m sorry I didn’t get the win, but I promise you, I’m not going anywhere,” Bisping said, following his loss to Rockhold.

“You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.”
-Babe Ruth

Once again, the man was down but not out, refusing to stop his hunt for greatness, knowing that he was closer than ever to reaching his ultimate goal of becoming undisputed.

After getting back on the horse, Bisping secured two dominant wins that granted him a Main Event slot in his hometown London, England, against the greatest middleweight to ever step foot into the octagon, Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

“After I win this fight, I will fight for the World title against the current champion Luke Rockhold, and although he beat me last year, but every fight is different,” Bispid said, right before his fight against The Spider.
Eyes rolled in the room while hearing The Count, disregarding his chances in the fight with Silva, let alone against Rockhold, the man who finished him 14 months ago.

The fight starts, and the sound in the arena was deafening, with the crowd cheering their man as he is standing in the pocket against one of the greatest strikers to ever grace the octagon.

Bisping staggers Silva the first, drops him in the second. My eyes couldn’t believe what was happening. Michael Bisping is dominating the fight, and he is cruising his way into a smooth victory. However, it is never a Michael Bisping fight unless adversity is introduced. In the closing seconds of a round he was winning, Bisping’s mouthpiece fell, distracting him for a split second, opening the opportunity for “The Spider” to capitalize with a flying knee that drops Bisping at the end of the round.

Confusion, Chaos took over the arena. Is the fight over? Bisping went back to his feet, bloodied and battered. With his supporters’ deafening sound, he managed to come out in the fourth round and show what he’s known for, sheer heart unlike any other.

“And the winner by unanimous decision, Michael “The Count” Bisping.”

I remember getting emotional as Bisping was getting his hand raised. Wow, he did it. Michael Bisping just beat Anderson Silva in one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen, incredible.

Following his monumental win, Bisping took off into the streets of Toronto to film his upcoming movie at the time, XXX, alongside Vin Diesel and other stars where he rightfully deserves to be.

Luke Rockhold was set to make his first title defense against the former champ Chris Weidman. However, two weeks before their fight, Weidman was forced to withdraw from the contest due to an injury, leaving Rockhold in need of a dance partner.
“Call Bisping to see if he’ll take the fight,” Luke said, with the thought of getting the Brit as an easy fight since he had finished him not too long ago.

While Bisping was heading to set, his phone rings with an offer to fight for the Championship against the man that handed him his last defeat less than two years ago.

“Fuck!, this is so typical for my career, at last, finally after becoming the number one contender. I receive this call to fight for the belt in less than two weeks with no preparation, and to make things worse, it’s going to be against a man that already beat me?” Bisping said while frustration and doubt were taking over. However, with one call from Bisping’s coach, Jason Parillo, he assured him that no preparation is needed because it has already started since the moment the Brit decided to chase this dream.

Everything was put into perspective for “The Count,” reminded that it was indeed his destiny. No one was going to take it away from him, no one.

Dateline Inglewood California, UFC 199, headlined by a rematch put together on two weeks notice. Both men made their way into the octagon but with different attitudes, a grateful Bisping cherishing the moment that he is finally fighting for the title. On the other hand, Rockhold, walking with an arrogant, uninterested look on his face as if he had a disdain for Michael Bisping’s skillset.

The fight starts, and the Ten to One underdog Bisping surged into the middle of the octagon, poised yet eager. With Luke’s hands down, showing no respect for the Brit, he gets checked with a left hook that shut his lights out. And just like that, Michael Bisping is the undisputed Middleweight champion of the world.

“I’m an average guy, more than average. This is my dream. Nobody was taking this away from me. Two weeks notice, Two days, Two hours, Two minutes, I’ll fight anyone anytime, and apart from my children and my wife, this is the greatest moment of my life.” Bisping said, following one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport, for the Vegas odds, not for me.

When I get asked about the definition of the word persevere, guys like Michael Bisping, Dustin Poirier, Robbie Lawler define what sheer perseverance and heart are all about in this life. Although they might not hold that fancy-looking record of undefeated, there is something way more rewarding and prestigious about the journey and character of someone that fell countless times but eventually was able to reach the mountain top. And Out of all the countless warriors that step into the octagon, Michael “The Count” Bisping might be the man in possession of the most inspirational story of all.

11:45 PM
March 10th, 2019,
“So champ, you kept saying that it was your destiny to become the champion that night with all the odds being against you. How did you know?” I asked Bisping as he was opening a cold bottle of Heineken.

Bisping replied, “All the signs were showing me that it wasn’t my destiny, but I was too stubborn to believe it, so I kept going, and I finally did it. Same for you, mate. If you genuinely believe you’re destined for something, then go for it because if I can do it, then you can too.”