UFC 204 results: Michael Bisping def. Dan Henderson
When Michael Bisping emphatically dethroned Luke Rockhold to win the middleweight championship at UFC 199, he almost immediately set his sights on Dan Henderson. Henderson had knocked out Hector Lombard earlier in the night, and Bisping was looking to settle a score, the famous knockout from UFC 100 that has made Bisping a staple on the wrong side of highlight reels in the years since.
Ultimately, the UFC granted Bisping his wish and booked him to fight Henderson at UFC 204 in Manchester, England, his hometown. It was a hero's welcome that has become a trend in the UFC lately, champions returning home to defend their titles.
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The first round was mostly a feeling out process before Henderson’s big land, aka an 'H-Bomb,' connected to Bisping's chin. It dropped the champ and Henderson came flying down in shades of UFC 100 all over again.
Bisping was able to scramble, get to his feet and lived to see another round. In the second round, Bisping went back to his game plan, leading with the left hook that exposed him. But he seemed to gain the advantage, land some significant strikes to an exhausted Henderson who possibly punched himself out in the first-round.
But seconds after Bisping rocked Henderson, a right hand from Henderson dropped him for a second-time. He was able to tie him up in his full guard to ride out the round and escape once again.
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Bisping finally won the third and fourth rounds, avoiding being knocked down by the Henderson's right hand by integrating feints. The fifth round was an extremely close affair that lacked the action of the early rounds, with Bisping controlling the round for the most part but Henderson notching a takedown.
Ultimately, the judges scored the bout as a unanimous decision in favor of Bisping.