The Octagon heads to Manchester, England, this Saturday with a solid card on pay-per-view. In the main event, middleweight champion Michael Bisping defends his belt for the first time against the legendary Dan Henderson.
Wait, wait, wait. Middleweight …
The Octagon heads to Manchester, England, this Saturday with a solid card on pay-per-view. In the main event, middleweight champion Michael Bisping defends his belt for the first time against the legendary Dan Henderson.
Wait, wait, wait. Middleweight champion Michael Bisping? Challenger Dan Henderson?
Bisping stepped up on just two weeks’ notice to fight newly crowned kingpin Luke Rockhold back in June and knocked him out in the first round in a stunning upset. That same night, Henderson knocked out Hector Lombard in vicious fashion.
That set up an opportunity for revenge. Henderson flattened Bisping with an overhand right at UFC 100 back in 2009, one of MMA‘s iconic knockouts. Seven years later, Bisping will get his chance at payback.
It’s something of a silly fight, especially because Henderson is just 3-6 in his last nine outings, but this seemed to be the most marketable direction for the UFC to go. It bears watching whether fans will agree and fork over their money.
The rest of the card is up and down. The co-main event features VitorBelfort vs. GegardMousasi in a potential barnburner of a middleweight bout, but that’s about it for interesting fights on the main card.
On the prelims, practically every bout features a hot prospect or should turn out to be an action fight. Keep a close eye on the Fight Pass headliner between Mike Perry and Danny Roberts, which should be a slugfest. The first fight on Fox Sports 1 features welterweight strikers Albert Tumenov and Leon Edwards, and that too should be a heck of a fight.
Michael Bisping will have had 2,646 days to plot his revenge against Dan Henderson by the time the two middleweights step into the cage to headline UFC 204 in Manchester, England.
That’s how long it’s been since Henderson knocked out Bisping in i…
Michael Bisping will have had 2,646 days to plot his revenge against Dan Henderson by the time the two middleweights step into the cage to headline UFC 204 in Manchester, England.
That’s how long it’s been since Henderson knocked out Bisping in iconic fashion at UFC 100.
A lot has changed since then, but the disdain between the two fighters remains the same. That’s why this is one of those title fights that feels like it’s for more than just a belt. This is a point of pride for both fighters, and there’s a lot on the line.
For Bisping, this is a chance to avenge the worst loss of his career while defending the belt in front of a home crowd. For Henderson, it’s the chance to finish his career on the high note of embarrassing an old rival again.
Here’s a look at how the two stack up and the latest odds from Odds Shark heading into the bout:
How Henderson Got Here
Let’s be honest. Dan Henderson got to this point through nostalgia.
There was a point in time when Hendo was one of the baddest men on the planet. But he’s 46 now. He’s 3-6 in his last nine fights spanning back to 2013.
That isn’t the resume of your average title contender.
Consider this title shot his lifetime achievement award.
Despite his run as one of the UFC’s most recognizable and popular fighters, Henderson is usually atop the list of the best fighters who never held UFC gold. This fight is his last opportunity to do that before walking away from the sport, supposedly.
“I’ve said that, win or lose, that this is my last fight, and I’m very stuck on that,” Henderson said, per Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie. “I have no desire to go on afterward. Win or lose—obviously I would like to finish with that belt. That would be an ideal ending for me but I’m ready.”
Henderson’s recent track record shows that he might not be the favorite, but he’s still a live dog. Power is oftentimes the last thing to go, and Henderson showed he still has some left with a knockout win over Hector Lombard last time out.
Still, it’s been seven years since Henderson landed this hellacious overhand right to end Bisping’s night at UFC 100:
He’ll have to turn back the clocks to get the one thing that he wasn’t able to capture in his career.
How Bisping Got Here
Speaking of doing the one thing they’ve never done before. Bisping now has the title for displaying the thing that most critics didn’t believe he could do: knock out an opponent with one strike.
Bisping shocked the world with his knockout win over Luke Rockhold, not just because he won, but because he won by first-round knockout. He hadn’t done that since 2008.
The Count’s path to the title has been one marked by perseverance. Bisping described what it was like to wait 10 years since his UFC debut to become champion, per Richard McCarthy of the Press Association (via the Daily Mail):
I always wanted to be UFC champion and I never stopped trying. I lost some No 1 contender match-ups but I dusted myself off, got back on it, and here we are as world champion.
There were times along the way when I never thought it would happen. I was happy because I was still in a sport that I love and still taking care of my family, but I still wanted to be world champion and, with a bit of luck, I got there.
Unlike Henderson, Bisping has experienced a bit of a late-career renaissance. The Brit has won four fights in a row since losing to Luke Rockhold in November 2014, with his latest win bringing that loss full circle.
The biggest contributor to that resurgence has probably been Bisping’s volume. Aside from the Rockhold fight that ended early, The Count has landed 75, 115 and 108 significant strikes in decision victories.
That kind of pressure will need to be an important part of his game plan against Henderson.
Prediction
Volume is an important aspect of this fight. If you want to know the last time that Dan Henderson landed 100 strikes in a fight, it’s never happened. That’s not his MO.
Henderson looks to load up on the one punch that will end the fight. Bisping is more prone to fight for points and pounce on the knockout opportunity if it shows itself.
It’s a game of risk and reward that both fighters have won with. Henderson was even outlanded in his last fight against Lombard, 23-13.
However, that game is becoming more and more dangerous for Henderson as he ages. Reed Kuhn of Fightnomics pointed out the statistic basis for the deterioration of Hendo’s chin:
That’s a concerning pattern for fans of the challenger.
Henderson’s “I’m going to hit you harder than you hit me” tactics worked perfectly against Bisping when his chin was intact. There’s no doubt that Henderson is the more powerful fighter, however, Father Time has evened things out in that department.
Bisping doesn’t have supreme power, but his timing and technique are excellent and that might be enough to put an end to Henderson’s night.
Hendo has been finished in each of his last four losses, and Bisping could make it five.
Justin Gaethje and Jason High are on a collision course. If they weren’t before, they are now.
Granted, there’s business in front of them first, happening at World Series of Fighting 33. But if they can each get past their respective opponents Saturday…
Justin Gaethje and Jason High are on a collision course. If they weren’t before, they are now.
Granted, there’s business in front of them first, happening at World Series of Fighting 33. But if they can each get past their respective opponents Saturday, the biggest fight in WSOF history is probably waiting.
Gaethje acknowledged Wednesday that High would be a massive fight, both for him and the promotion employing him. If on Saturday he can defeat a tough opponent in Ozzy Dugulubgov—Gaethje is the main event, while High, facing Joao Zeferino in High’s hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, is the co-main event—that matchup is almost certain, and it’s one Gaethje appears to welcome.
“I wish I was fighting Jason High in his hometown. I would put him to sleep in front of all his fans,” Gaethje said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. “He’s mainly a wrestler, but I’m an All-American wrestler. So I’m really not worried about Jason High.”
These two have been circling each other for quite some time now.
Gaethje, the reigning WSOF lightweight champ, is 16-0 at the age of 27 and might be the best lightweight outside the UFC. He won his title in 2014 and has since defended it four times (it would be five if Melvin Guillard had made weight, but that’s another story). Thirteen of those 16 wins came by way of the knockout, which he can deliver with his fists, feet or just about anything else. Maybe just for giggles, he mixed it up in his last fight and TKO’d Brian Foster with leg kicks.
On the other hand, High (20-5) has the kind of pedigree missing from Gaethje’s record. The Kansas City native competed four times under the UFC banner (Gaethje has never fought there) and is 2-0 since joining WSOF in 2015. Thirteen of the 34-year-old’s 20 victories to date came via stoppage.
A High win over Zeferino, a tough submission artist, is no gimme. High acknowledged as much in an interview Tuesday, but when given an opportunity to discuss Gaethje, he didn’t skip a beat.
“Justin Gaethje needs me more than I need him at this point,” High said in that interview. “He’s the one looking for legitimacy. I’m proven. He doesn’t have the kind of record I have. He hasn’t fought the kind of opposition I have. I think he wants to fight out his contract and get to the UFC. That road goes through me.”
When Gaethje heard that quote the next day, the notion of being unproven may have hit a nerve, as much as Gaethje might deny the claim. Gaethje had some choice words for High and his track record.
“I think he has five losses, so he has definitely proven he can lose,” Gaethje said. “I guess in that way, I’m unproven. … He was getting his a– kicked by Mike Ricci before he got lucky.”
Like High, Gaethje took pains to emphasize he’s focused on his latest opponent. Dugulubgov (8-2) is a bright young fighter in his own right, with three straight wins in WSOF.
“This guy’s got some power,” Gaethje said of Dugulubgov. “He’s got a great spinning back kick. He throws it from his hips and throws it really hard. But that requires space, and I don’t give space.”
WSOF announced recently it would hold its WSOF 36 event on New Year’s Eve in Madison Square Garden. Gaethje expressed certainty he would appear on that card—and if he and High both win, that, to Gaethje, is the obvious headliner.
“Oh yeah, without a doubt,” Gaethje said. “If he wins and I win, we’ll be fighting December 31. He knows he’ll have to actually fight me, so none of this talk means anything.”
You probably know about Michael Bisping, but what else is going on at UFC 204?
We’d be remiss if we glossed over Bisping’s valiant—or reckless, depending on how your tastes run—bid for revenge against Dan Henderson. That is certai…
You probably know about Michael Bisping, but what else is going on at UFC 204?
We’d be remiss if we glossed over Bisping‘s valiant—or reckless, depending on how your tastes run—bid for revenge against Dan Henderson. That is certainly the primary narrative of Saturday’s card, the main portion of which airs on pay-per-view from Bisping‘s home town of Manchester, England.
But it’s not the only one. Read on for some more key storylines for UFC 204.
Bisping and Henderson Try for Storybook Stoppages
All the points are lining up. Bisping is the new middleweight champ thanks to an improbable underdog knockout of Luke Rockhold. He did so late in his career, at 37 years of age, after the point at which many people assumed his window had closed to fight for a title, much less wear one.
But he did it, and now, in front of his hometown crowd, he tries to even the score on the most embarrassing moment of his career—a huge knockout from Henderson that shut off Bisping‘s lights, not only led to a host of mocking Internet memes, but was also the precursor to Henderson hitting Bisping hard for good measure after Bisping was already asleep.
(And as an aside, this was yet another Henderson action that, thanks to his laid-back affability, arguably never drew the same criticism as it would had another, less-popular fighter done it.)
Bisping (29-7) has open acknowledged several times that this matchup is about revenge. He’s hungry for it. We’ll see if the risk pays off.
Henderson (32-14), for his part, has suggested he will retire, win or lose, after Saturday. Despite, or perhaps because of, his advanced age—he turned 46 in August, good god!—fans will be forgiven if they believe it when they see it. But if the beloved Olympic wrestler can land one more H-bomb and walk out of the cage with a UFC belt over his shoulder, that sunset will no doubt be looking pretty rosy.
Mousasi Gets Belfort, Chance at Contender Status
GegardMousasi has been asking for VitorBelfort since he entered the UFC in 2013. He finally gets him Saturday night.
This could be a good fight, with the well-rounded Mousasi (39-6-2) matching up with the flagging but still dangerous kickboxer in Belfort (25-12).
What’s more, according to the official UFC rankings, Belfort, at age 39, is still the No. 5 middleweight in the promotion. Mousasi sits at No. 9. For all Mousasi‘s talent and pedigree, the former belt holder for Strikeforce, DREAM and Cage Warriors just can’t seem to get over the hump in the UFC. Most recently a two-fight win streak over Henderson and CostasPhilippou in 2015 came to a screeching halt when Uriah Hall flying-knee-KO’d him at UFC Fight Night 75.
That fight was supposed to be his ticket past the middleweight division’s velvet rope. He’s picked up two wins since and now has a new head of steam. We’ll see if he can convert that to kinetic energy with a win over Belfort in the evening’s co-main event.
Super-Prospect Bektic Finally Makes UFC Return
MirsadBektic has enough talent to put the entire featherweight division on notice.
All he has to do is fight.
The 25-year-old Bosnia-and-Herzegovina American has a perfect 10-0 record, with six of those wins coming thanks to strikes. He’s well-rounded and technically masterful in every phase of the game. However, he has only competed three times since joining the UFC in 2014.
A torn ACL, suffered last year in training, is the primary culprit. However, he says he’s back to full strength and ready to resume his climb up the metaphorical ladder.
That begins in Manchester against a fairly tough opponent in Russell Doane. Adding uncertainty to the mix is the fact that Doane steps in on a mere five days’ notice after Arnold Allen came up hurt. Doane is arguably a tougher opponent than Allen—and the original replacement, Jeremy Kennedy, who also came up injured.
It’s a good sign that UFC matchmakers were able to find Bektic an opponent. Hopefully Bektic and Doane reach the cage in one piece, and Bektic is able to show whether the hype continues to be justified.
Jason High has a fight coming up Saturday in his native Kansas City, Missouri, against a dangerous submission artist. If he can notch a victory, he has a pretty airtight case to compete for World Series of Fighting’s lightweight title in his next conte…
Jason High has a fight coming up Saturday in his native Kansas City, Missouri, against a dangerous submission artist. If he can notch a victory, he has a pretty airtight case to compete for World Series of Fighting’s lightweight title in his next contest.
But that’s not what he’s being asked about, at least not exclusively. Instead of talking about World Series of Fighting 33 and his opponent there, the dangerous submission artist Joao Zeferino (20-8), and instead of talking about his place in the lightweight title picture, High (20-5) is instead answering questions about a fighter in a whole different weight class and a whole different promotion.
In 2014, High, for years a popular fighter with the public, was released from the UFC for shoving a referee immediately after the conclusion of a bout with Rafael Dos Anjos. The New Mexico State Athletic Commission also suspended High for one year.
In the wake of that incident, White said in explaining his release of High that “if you touch the referee, [you are] done. … You don’t put your hands on the referee. Ever.” He also added that the decision was “a no-brainer.”
Fast-forward three years and you have heavyweight Roy Nelson, who after his September knockout of Antonio Silva softly kicked referee John McCarthy’s backside to register frustration with what he viewed as an unnecessarily late stoppage.
In the wake of that incident, White called the incident “despicable” but has not released Nelson, suggesting he is content to let Brazil’s athletic commission take the disciplinary lead. (That commission, known as CABMMA, is reviewing the incident now.)
High has always maintained he holds no grudge about the decision and never thinks about it until some media type poses another question about it. Like it or not, though, a new volley of inquiry on the topic came flying toward High in the wake of Nelson’s butt-kicking.
“I’d never call for [Nelson] to be banished or whatever,” High said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. “I thought my suspension was unfair, so that’s where I’ll leave it. Everybody I talked to thought it was unfair.”
High gives the sense he wouldn’t take much pleasure in any potential Nelson punishment, which may still occur, but apparently at the hands of the commission, not the UFC, at least initially. He would, however, like to see the UFC use a more orderly and transparent process to handle such incidents.
“I would like to see some consistency,” High said. “I’d like to see some due process for the fighters who are in this situation. But you need to ask [UFC President] Dana White these questions. I don’t have a direct line to Dana White.”
You don’t get the sense it’s derailing High too much either way. Saturday marks his fourth pro bout in the lightweight division and third under the WSOF banner, where he is 2-0 thus far.
Interestingly, and most likely not coincidentally, lightweight champ Justin Gaethje defends his title one bout after High when he takes on rugged finisher Ozzy Dugulubgov in the WSOF 33 main event.
High doesn’t want to look past Zeferino, a submission specialist with 15 wins by submission. Should he prevail, though, his path to Gaethje, and probably the biggest bout WSOF could make right now, is clearly blazed.
High doesn’t miss an opportunity to stake his claim on the matchup, either.
“I think that would definitely be a big fight,” High said. “Justin Gaethje needs me more than I need him at this point. … He’s the one looking for legitimacy. I’m proven. He doesn’t have the kind of record I have. He hasn’t fought the kind of opposition I have. I think he wants to fight out his contract and get to the UFC. That road goes through me.”
As for High, despite his well-documented issues with the UFC, he seems content with his place at the top of the WSOF 155-pound division. Beating Zeferino gets him one more step—maybe the final step—toward competing for gold.
“He’s a tough fighter, obviously he likes leg locks and is good at submissions,” High said. “You have to not let him get into those positions. … I’ve been doing some situations [during training] to get comfortable in those positions, but really I’m just trying to get better everywhere. I’m trying to be a better me.”
Scott Harris covers MMA for Bleacher Report. For more, follow Scott on Twitter. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Michael Bisping will attempt to defend his middleweight title for the first time when he takes on old foe Dan Henderson this October 8 at UFC 204.
The bout is a rematch of their 2009 clash, which took place at UFC 100, and famously ended with Hend…
Michael Bisping will attempt to defend his middleweight title for the first time when he takes on old foe Dan Henderson this October 8 at UFC 204.
The bout is a rematch of their 2009 clash, which took place at UFC 100, and famously ended with Henderson scoring a crushing knockout blow that he followed up with an academic punch to his unconscious opponent.
Beyond the high-stakes characteristic of any title match, this bout also affords the champion a chance to get even. Bisping has been vocal about avenging his defeat to Henderson, and he has been salivating in the lead-up to the bout.
For Henderson, the contest represents what will probably be his last chance to capture UFC gold. The former Olympian has collected many accolades through his mixed martial arts career, but he has never been able to attain a UFC championship—the most prestigious honor the sport has to offer.
In anticipation of the UFC 204 main event, Bleacher Report investigates Bisping vs. Henderson II, examining where each fighter holds an edge and how the bout is likely to conclude.
Michael Bisping will have had 2,646 days to plot his revenge against 