UFC 199: Michael Bisping’s 10-year journey towards British relevance

As the English national football team prepares to make the short trip to France for Euro 2016, a lot of talk during the buildup has centred on the Three Lions’ memorable exploits 20 years prior.

This weekend, another Englishman hopes to come full circle just a few weeks shy of his 10th anniversary as an Ultimate Fighting Championship star, as he finally receives his first crack at the middleweight title. And to get the recognition his soccer counterparts receive on a daily basis, victory is the only option.

Michael Bisping won UFC’s long-running developmental competition/reality series The Ultimate Fighter, back in its formative days, on June 24, 2006. The knockout success over Josh Haynes brought his professional record as a fighter to 11-0, and at the time it looked as though UFC bossman Dana White not only had a new Transatlantic star on his hands but a future world champion.

Bisping’s journey to this golden opportunity, to be completely honest, has taken this long for a reason. He has not only lost seven fights since bursting into the big leagues, but seems to do so whenever he gets close to title contention. Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Tim Kennedy and Luke Rockhold all cut Bisping off as a big title fight appeared within sight. It appeared the Brit’s biggest injury concern was a perennial nosebleed, so to speak.

It looked as though the top of the food chain would remain out of Bisping’s reach, until a whirlwind turn of events over the last few months gave him one last chance to hit the jackpot, almost bang on that 10-year mark.

When London fight fans were treated to the main event announcement of the native star against Anderson Silva - arguably the greatest fighter to grace mixed martial arts - the euphoria over such a blockbuster bout outside the United States clouded whispers that Bisping would, for the eighth time, play the role of ‘gatekeeper’ - this time so that Silva could begin his comeback path after drug suspension controversy.

I was one of those who harboured doubts when I took a seat ringside for the fight on February 27. Fortunately, Bisping’s performance was one of his best, and an electric crowd spent the entire five-rounder on the edge of their seat as the home hope survived a couple of big scares and did the unthinkable, out-working, outscoring and ultimately earning a deserved decision win over the former titlist.

Not only that, but Bisping looked like a man who was fully aware of his prior shortcomings and a man who was facing his final opportunity to go all the way to the top.

The win meant he would surely get his world title opportunity at some point. Then, Chris Weidman was forced to pull out of his UFC 199 rematch due to injury. Suddenly, Bisping found his big chance. At ridiculously short notice. And it’d be against current champion - and his most recent conqueror - Rockhold.

Truth be told, Bisping won’t receive the kind of hero’s welcome from his nation that the footballers would if they pulled off an extremely-unlikely win over in France next month. Not only does MMA remain a niche sport on these shores, but ‘The Count’ has always polarised fans of all regions with his frank and controversial appraisals of his opponents and others.

It’s difficult to take anything away from Bisping’s determination, workrate and willingness to take his one and only chance at the big one at such short notice, however. And if the underdog can avenge his defeat to Rockhold on Saturday and realise his dream, it’s probably high time the country recognised his status as one of England’s elite athletes.