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Phil MurphyESPN Video
Great Britain’s first UFC champion is now its first Hall of Famer.
The UFC announced Michael Bisping (31-9) as the first inductee of 2019 during Saturday’s event in London. He’s the fifth member of the Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing, joining Forrest Griffin, BJ Penn, Urijah Faber and Ronda Rousey.
“The Count” ranks No. 2 all-time in UFC wins (20), time in the Octagon (6:05:33) and total significant strikes (1,567). Bisping holds UFC middleweight records for wins (16), Octagon time (5:15:15) and significant strikes (1,384).
His divisional significant strikes total is almost 600 more than any other middleweight. Bisping holds wins over former PRIDE champion Dan Henderson and former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold. Bisping beat the latter for the belt at UFC 199.
Bisping is the only person to win The Ultimate Fighter and both win and defend a UFC title. He headlined UFC cards in seven different countries, a promotional record.
“It’s hard to have the level of talent needed to compete in UFC for any amount of time,” UFC president Dana White said. “But Michael Bisping was able to have an 11-year career where he became a world champion and won The Ultimate Fighter, not many people can say that.”
He will be inducted at a ceremony on July 5 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.