Mike Goldberg reflected on Michael Bisping‘s stunning knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 and the emotions he felt. It was a massive upset at the time and reshaped the UFC middleweight division.
Goldberg, the former longtime UFC play-by-play announcer, was cageside for one of the promotion’s most shocking upsets. Rockhold was the reigning middleweight champion and entered the fight with plenty of confidence, especially after having previously defeated Bisping.
Chris Weidman was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury. ‘Jacare’ Souza was initially in line for the opportunity. However, he sustained an injury during his win over Vitor Belfort at UFC 198.
Bisping capitalized on the opportunity and stepped in for a shot at the middleweight championship and redemption for his 2014 submission loss. It didn’t take long for ‘The Count’ to pull off his memorable upset. He dropped Rockhold early and finished him with punches to earn a 1st round knockout win.
“When Michael Bisping knocked out Luke Rockhold, that was a magical moment. And nothing against Luke, needless to say, but that was one that I still get chills. I will never, ever forget,” Goldberg said during an appearance on Between Rounds. “It was just a magical moment and an unexpected [one].”
Mike Goldberg Recalls Michael Bisping’s Long Path to UFC Title Shot
Mike Goldberg also recalled Michael Bisping’s long journey to a UFC title shot. Bisping won season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter as a member of Team Ortiz.
Many fighters have dropped down a weight class after winning The Ultimate Fighter, but Bisping stayed at light heavyweight. After his loss to former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, ‘The Count’ decided to move down to 185 pounds.
Bisping experienced his fair share of ups and downs at middleweight. Because of that, didn’t hesitate to accept the short notice title shot against Rockhold.
“When you look at fighters who came in and got title shots, four or five fights in, [Bisping] was twenty fights in the UFC when he finally got a title shot and took advantage of it,” Goldberg told Between Rounds. [Rockhold] was so dominant at the time and Michael got the knockout and it was a very special night.”
When Did Bisping Lose his UFC Middleweight Championship?
Bisping successfully retained his title, earning a unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson at UFC 204. That win marked his first successful UFC title defense and also avenged his knockout loss from UFC 100.
After a year-long layoff, Bisping welcomed former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre back to the octagon at UFC 217. There was a lot of hype surrounding the fight, as St-Pierre returned after four years away. ‘Rush’ moved up to middleweight in hopes of joining the list of greats who became two-division UFC champions.
Bisping cut St-Pierre with elbows from his back. However, the Canadian dropped him in the 3rd round before submitting him with a rear-naked choke to win the middleweight championship.
After the loss to St-Pierre, Bisping quickly returned to the octagon. Later that month, he stepped in to replace Anderson Silva and took on Kelvin Gastelum on short notice.
Gastelum made quick work of Bisping, securing a 1st round knockout victory. It marked ‘The Count’s final bout, as he later announced his retirement.
Mike Goldberg: ‘Still Get Chills’ Over Michael Bisping’s UFC 199 Upset