It's been 4 months since Michael Bisping knocked Luke Rockhold out at UFC 199 to become the UFC middleweight champion, and it's still hard to comprehend what happened. I (and presumably many others) didn't give Bisping a chance in hell given how Rockhold beat him the first time. This was also a short-notice appearance for Bisping, with Chris Weidman forced to withdraw due to a neck injury.
Michael Bisping said that he would knock "that smug look' off of Rockhold's face. Guess what? He did just that. I guess it's fitting that a card in the Los Angeles area would feature a Hollywood ending for "The Count." This stands to date as Bisping's only KO (not TKO, straight KO) of his entire UFC career, and what a time to get it. You can watch the full fight video at the top of the page.
Here's Dallas Winston's play-by-play of the fight:
R1: Bisping starts with a front-leg side kick to the knee. Rockhold keeps him at bay with a long front kick to the body. Busy jabs from Bisping and he follows with a one-two. Quick outside low kick from Rockhold but his left high kick is blocked. Rockhold glances with a left cross and lands a left kick to the body. Bisping answers with a rear-leg body kick.
Rockhold, seeming almost annoyed at the fact that Bisping is throwing strikes his way, goes to the body with a front kick, then taps the lead leg with a low kick. Another glancing left cross from Rockhold and a sharp body kick to the ribs. Bisping follows a one-two with a precise left hook that careens into Rockhold's jaw, and it drops him. Rockhold gets back to his feet and the Brit clobbers him with another left hook, and Rockhold is down and out. We have a new middleweight champion.
Michael Bisping defeats Luke Rockhold by KO (punches) R1 3:36
Here's how Bloody Elbow's community reacted to the finish:
Bisping will be rematching Dan Henderson at UFC 204, while Rockhold will rematch Jacare Souza at UFC Fight Night 101 in Australia. What a time to be alive.