Gifted with palpable charisma and an unrelenting will to win, Michael Bisping has cemented his place in the UFC history books.
Not only did ‘The Count’ become the UK’s first champion, but he also inspired a nation of fighters to follow their dreams.
No matter the setbacks he faced, Michael Bisping refused to give in, fighting tooth and nail in pursuit of his ultimate goal.
Even after he lost an eye, he kept on grafting until he finally got the moment his career deserved. So, without further ado, let’s jump into his life.
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Michael Bisping’s age
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping was born on a British military base in Nicosia, Cyprus, on February 28, 1979, to parents Jan Konrad and Kathleen, but grew up in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England.
As of September 2024, he is 46 years old.
Michael Bisping’s height, weight, and reach
The Brit exploded into the UFC at light heavyweight, dominating The Ultimate Fighter: Season 3 at 205 pounds. However, after dining on Chinese the night before his first loss to Rashad Evans, he realized he wasn’t making all the necessary sacrifices.
Subsequently, he dropped down to 185 pounds, where he would eventually win the middleweight title. Standing at 6ft1 and possessing a 192cm reach, the kickboxer had the size advantage over most of his opponents.
Michael Bisping’s wife
The former champion has been in a relationship with his wife, Rebecca, since he was a teenager. He regularly credits the Australian with being his guiding light.
Together, they have three children: Callum, Ellie and Lucas.
Michael Bisping X/Twitter and Instagram accounts
Bisping has a huge social media following with over 2m followers on his Instagram account @mikebisping.
He also has over 1m followers on X, formerly Twitter, @bisping.
Michael Bisping MMA record
| W-L-D | (T)KO | SUB |
| 30-9-0 | 16-3 | 4-2 |
Career stats
| Significant Strikes Landed per Minute | 4.33 |
| Significant Striking Accuracy | 38% |
| Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute | 2.71 |
| Significant Strike Defence (the % of opponents strikes that did not land) | 65% |
| Average Takedowns Landed per 15 minutes | 1.05 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 43% |
| Takedown Defense (the % of opponents TD attempts that did not land) | 63% |
| Average Submissions Attempted per 15 minutes | 0.3 |
Michael Bisping’s net worth
During his historic career, Bisping fought a plethora of heavy hitters, headlining shows across the world.
However, it was when he became champion that he really started to make the big bucks.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, as of 2023, the warrior was worth a staggering $9 million.
Michael Bisping’s last fight
Three weeks after losing to Georges St Pierre, Bisping stepped up to the plate to face Kelvin Gastelum.
While the fight ended horribly, it was synonymous with the icon’s career. He truly lived by an attitude of, ‘anyone, anytime, anywhere’.
What does Michael Bisping do now?
Since retiring from the sport, the popular athlete has continued to remain in the public eye. In addition to hosting his podcast and acting in movies, he’s become an esteemed pundit.
Bisping regularly commentates on major PPV events as well as Power Slap.
Michael Bisping’s eye injury
After taking a lethal head kick from Vitor Belfort, Bisping’s retina detached, resulting in the fighter losing vision in one of his eyes. At the time, he was told he’d never fight again, but he simply refused to accept giving up as an option.
Through sheer perseverance, he made it back to the cage, despite the fact he had zero depth perception.
He told MMA Junkie: “My vision [in my right eye] was pretty much non-existent since 2013. I was just about able to scrape past the medicals. It was definitely touch and go. I was always terrified of doing a full training camp, then being turned away by the commission doctor.”
Bisping vs Chael Sonnen
In a match-up that pitted two of the greatest trash-talkers in UFC history against one another, Bisping and Chael Sonnen traded brutal blows, with ‘The American Gangster’ eventually coming away the victor.
However, many believe the judges made a mistake. Sonnen himself even told MMA Fighting: “He hit me so hard in the first round. I didn’t fully understand where we were and what we were doing.”
Bisping vs Dan Henderson
At UFC 100, following a dramatic build-up, marinated through a season of The Ultimate Fighter, Dan Henderson brutally knocked out Bisping with his infamous ‘H-Bomb’.
The startling finish left the entire British combat sports community fearful that their hero would never be the same again.
Luckily, he bounced back in a big way. Many years later, the pioneer got his chance at redemption.
Once again, he went down heavily, but this time, he battled back from the brink to defend his title on the scorecards.
Bisping vs Anderson Silva
Throughout his career, Bisping developed a reputation for losing the big fights. Therefore, when he got his opportunity against Anderson Silva, he simply refused to let that be his legacy.
He was nothing short of exceptional in the first two rounds, dropping the Brazilian with a precise left hook. However, in the third segment, he was hit with a devastating flying knee.
Luckily, the Clitheroe-born athlete managed to regain his composure. With blood all over his face, he kept fighting and did enough to earn a decision victory.
Bisping vs Vitor Belfort
On a night he’ll never forget, Bisping suffered a serious eye injury after Belfort kicked him in the head.
The Brazilian took the Englishman’s sight, while allegedly taking TRT.
Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “The guy’s such a bloody piece of s*** it blows my mind, and he cost me to lose an eye. Yes, that’s right. I’m talking about Vitor ‘The Phenom Hypocrite’ Belfort. The former light heavyweight champion, the former heavyweight champion, the former middleweight contender, and the biggest known drug cheat in the history of the sport — alongside Wanderlei Silva.
“This guy is the biggest cheat in the history of combat sports. It’s all to do with the steroids, mainly. Listen, we’re not putting a ball in a basket, we’re not trying to kick a ball into the back of the net, we’re trying to knock our opponents unconscious.
“If you’re knowingly taking steroids all the time, then I’ve got no respect for you whatsoever. You’re not respecting the sport, you’re not respecting yourself, you’re not respecting your opponent. It’s dangerous, disgusting, and I’ve just got no respect for it whatsoever.”
Bisping vs Luke Rockhold
In a fight that embodied grit and determination, Bisping reached his destiny.
Overcoming the adversity of losing to Luke Rockhold the first time around, ‘The Count’ walked out in front of his family and friends at The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA, and did the unthinkable.
With the odds stacked against him, he landed the left hook of a lifetime, before following up with a series of brutal blows to wrap the UFC title around his waist and make all his hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.
Michael Bisping podcast
With the gift of the gab, Bisping is making waves in the podcasting world. Alongside his friend and fellow fighter, Anthony Smith, the legend has garnered a huge following on his ‘Believe You Me’ podcast.
In addition to welcoming the biggest guests in the industry, Bisping is renowned for sharing a selection of amusing anecdotes.
Michael Bisping films
As well as starring in Triple Threat and Den of Thieves, Bisping played Hawk in XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
During his time on set, the Englishman indulged in alcoholic beverages and top-quality food. Little did he know that he was about to receive the most important call of his life.
With just two weeks to go until UFC 199, the icon was informed that a shot at Rockhold was available. And the rest, as they say, is history.