Michael Bisping enjoyed a fairytale ending as he recovered from a first-round knockout scare to beat Dan Henderson by one eye

Michael Bisping ended his UFC career in one of the most dramatic moments when he fought back from a loss and earned victory.

The October 2016 victory marked Bisping’s 20th promotion win for Dana White since his debut in 2006.

At the time, he was the record holder for the most wins in UFC history, surpassing the legendary Georges St-Pierre.

Britain’s Bisping was defending his middleweight title for the first time after shockingly knocking out Luke Rockhold four months earlier.

Dan Henderson, his opponent, had brutally done the same thing to him seven years before the encounter.

The feud between both men lasted almost ten years and was one of the most historic middleweight rivalries of the 2010s.

Henderson inflicted great pain on Bisping with one of the most devastating knockouts in the organization’s history when the two met at UFC 100 in 2009.

It was the first time in his UFC career that the Brit was eliminated. Henderson was a former PRIDE – Japanese MMA promotion champion – and Bisping was just beginning his career.

But this time it was a different story and the roof almost blew off at the Manchester Arena when Bruce Buffer announced Bisping as middleweight champion once again.

What was incredible about Bisping’s performance was the fact that he could only see out of his right eye for most of the fight after “Hendo” did damage in the first round.

The even more brilliant aspect of Bisping’s achievement was the brutal fact that he became blind in his right eye three years before the fight.

After the 2013 fight against Vitor Belfort, in which Bisping suffered a detached retina from a headbutt that ended the fight, doctors had repeatedly told him to retire.

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But the man from Clitheroe, Lancashire, who initially addressed the issue privately because he feared he would not be allowed to fight, later fought in six operations.

Bisping later confirmed on the Wild Rides podcast that he was clinically blind during his final UFC fights, but only ever told his wife the truth.

“With him [Henderson’s] Dude, he just kicked my ass,” Bisping said in his post-fight Octagon interview.

“With all the trash talk, you have to respect the legend… I just want to thank all the fans. All the support you have given me melts my heart. I’m not being cheesy, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“I know people said he wasn’t the number one contender, but this guy blew me away. Look at my face.”

A 37-year-old Bisping showed off his Union Jack-style face mask as the two competed in the octagon.

Despite being nine years his senior, Henderson’s overhand throw – the “H-Bomb” and the same one that knocked out Bisping – was one of the most devastating power shots in the UFC.

And it wasn’t long before The Count experienced the devastating power of his American counterpart.

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With 38 seconds left in the first round, it was almost 2009 all over again when “Hendo” Bisping hit a beautiful, well-timed counter right that sent him crashing to the canvas.

The crowd erupted in an uproar as he followed with huge elbows to the floor that split Bisping open, but “Hendo” was unable to finish his opponent as both men got back to their feet before the end of the round.

It was clear that Bisping was damaged as the camera captured his cut and swollen left eye before we even got to the second round.

As the fight progressed, Bisping became more comfortable and increased the volume with which he delivered kicks that kept his opponent guessing.

However, towards the end of the second round, “Hendo” hit the Brit with another H-bomb that sent him to the ground, but the champion was able to recover on the ground.

Bisping rocked his opponent several times and threw deadly combinations that Henderson found difficult to deal with.

Although the American was the more tired of the two, he repeatedly landed his trademark overhand throw with his right side, but fortunately for Bisping, not with the same effect.

The championship rounds then moved quickly, but the fourth began with “Hendo” taking a few minutes to regroup after a groin kick from Bisping was thrown a little too high.

In the final round the same signs remained and Bisping was the one who delivered more power in terms of kicks and punches.

Henderson, who clearly reserved his energy for the more explosive punches, didn’t do enough in the eyes of the judges as Bisping retained his belt.

All three judges scored the competition in Bisping’s favor.

Although the scorecards elicited a mixed reaction, the fact was that Bisping had beaten Henderson by a significant margin in every round except the first.

Ultimately, it was Bisping’s relentlessness and determination that got him over the finish line in the end, marking a historic day for the British MMA star with Henderson announcing his retirement from the sport.

Bisping would lose his next two fights against St-Pierre and Kelvin Gastelum, which he somehow fought within three weeks of each other.

After suffering a scare with his good left eye, “The Count” decided to hang up the gloves and pursue a career in media.

In March 2019, it was announced that the veteran, who had 40 professional fights in his 13-year career, would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

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