After becoming the season three winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Michael Bisping would soon become a viable contender in the light heavyweight class.
The brash Brit first came to prominence when he rattled off a four-fight win streak inside the Octagon, though future champion Rashad Evans stopped the momentum of “The Count,” earning a contentious split-decision over Bisping, prompting his move to the 185-pound class.
Since then, Bisping has made some enemies along the way, both amongst his peers and fans alike.
After compiling consecutive and decisive wins over Charles McCarthy, Jason Day and Chris Leben, Bisping was pegged as the season nine coach of TUF, pitted opposite of the legendary Dan Henderson.
Though the Wolfslair product edged Henderson in the series, with two of his fighters earning the coveted TUF title, the former Pride champion exacted revenge by savagely knocking out Bisping, putting an exclamation point in their rivalry that brewed on the show.
Whilst coaching on the TUF series, Bisping proved to be a formidable nuisance, constantly egging the mild-mannered Henderson while creating confrontations with Team USA’s DaMarques Johnson.
Naturally, the “Team USA vs. Team UK” format didn’t do Bisping any favors, and it was his third run on the show that really pushed his villainous role over the edge.
Recently, the Cyprus native wrapped up another coaching stint on the show during which fan favorite Jason “Mayhem” Miller opposed the 32-year-old.
After back-and-forth banter throughout, Bisping eventually met with the Bully Beatdown host a few weeks ago at the TUF Finale, finishing off the enigmatic fighter with a third-round TKO.
The win over Miller capped off a four-fight win streak in the UFC and will now culminate in a pivotal battle with former title challenger Demian Maia.
As it stands, Bisping has already made the case for himself to earn a shot at the 185-pound title, since champion Anderson Silva has dispatched of all notable opposition, outside of the Brit.
An impressive victory over the world-ranked Brazilian Maia will go a long way for Bisping to finally secure a championship bout, which will make him one of only a few TUF competitors who have worked their way to the top of their respective divisions.
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