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Henderson falls short in title bid; leaves lasting legacy in Octagon

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MANCHESTER, England

Two Olympics, championships in multiple MMA organizations, 47 professional fights, numerous records … Dan Henderson has quite the legacy in mixed martial arts.

Unfortunately, winning the UFC belt that eluded him his whole career was not to be, as he lost to Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC 204 by unanimous decision.

RELATED: Order UFC 204 replay now | Bisping retains title in 5-round marathon | Gegard Mousasi reacts to win over Vitor Belfort | Jimi Manuwa backstage interview

The Southern California native came close twice in the first two rounds of pulling off the dream scenario, landing his patented “H-Bomb” at the end of the first round and second. Bisping was staggered, but he survived to take the fight the distance and win the fight on the judges’ scorecards (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)

“This is the last time anyone will see me fight live,” Henderson said in the Octagon. “I appreciate all the support throughout the years worldwide. I gave my heart and soul to this sport, and fans like you – even though you booed me at the beginning of the night – made it worthwhile to keep competing year after year.”

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) Dan Henderson punches Michael Bisping of England in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena on October 8, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)The loss in what he says is the last fight of his career should not overshadow Hendo’s successful career, which includes championships in both Strikeforce and PRIDE, victories against some of the biggest names in MMA such as Renzo Gracie, Fedor Emelianenko, Vitor Belfort and countless epic fights, including Bisping at UFC 100 and Mauricio Rua at UFC 139.

He retires from mixed martial arts with the second most wins in major MMA history, claiming 26 combined wins in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce and WEC (25, two behind Anderson Silva) and the third-most KO/TKO wins combined in all those organizations (15).

„I came up a little short, but not bad for an old man,“ Henderson said.

Jorge Mondaca is managing editor of UFC.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JorgeAMondaca

Bisping retains championship on home turf in 5-round marathon

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) <a href='../fighter/Michael-Bisping'>Michael Bisping</a> of England kicks <a href='../fighter/Dan-Henderson'>Dan Henderson</a> in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)“ align=“center“ />Seven years after most crushing loss of his career in 2009, UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping successfully defended his crown for the first time and evened the score with the man that issued that defeat, Dan Henderson, by surviving two knockdowns en route to a five-round unanimous decision win on Saturday night at Manchester Arena.<p>Following the main event of UFC 204, Henderson, officially announced his retirement.</p><p>“That was the last time that anyone will see me fight live,” the 46-year-old Henderson, 32-15, said. “I appreciate all the support throughout the years worldwide. I gave my heart and soul to this sport and the fans made it worthwhile for me to keep competing year after year. My last fight, for the belt, I came up a little short, but not bad for an old man, huh.”</p><p><strong>RELATED: <a href=Order UFC 204 replay now | Henderson leaves lasting legacy in Octagon | Gegard Mousasi reacts to win over Vitor Belfort | Jimi Manuwa backstage interview

Not bad indeed, as “Hendo” came perilously close to ending Bisping’s reign the same way he ended their UFC 100 bout in July of 2009. But Bisping put the demons of that fight to rest with a disciplined game plan and plenty of heart.

“I know people said this guy’s not the number one contender,” Bisping said of Henderson, who was ranked No. 13 coming into the fight. “This guy knocked me out cold, worst knockout in UFC history. You know what this guy could do. It took a lot of courage for me to do that.”

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) Dan Henderson punches Michael Bisping of England in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)When it was over though, Bisping got his payback by scores of 49-46 and 48-47 twice. And for all the trash talk leading up to the fight, there was respect between the two when it was over.

“This guy is incredible,” Bisping said. “At his age, he just kicked my ass. He’s tough as old boots. After all the trash talking, you’ve got to respect him. The guy’s a legend.”

Bisping opened the fight with a head kick attempt, and he stood right in the pocket with Henderson, waiting for his moment to strike. Henderson scored with his first jab, but didn’t follow it up, so it was back to the war of nerves that was broken when “Hendo” missed wide with his first right hand “H-Bomb.” Blood soon began to flow from a cut on Bisping’s forehead, and even though he took a couple of Henderson’s right hands well, the third one dropped Bisping hard to the mat in the final minute. Henderson moved in for the finish and opened a cut under Bisping’s left eye as he emptied his arsenal on the Brit, but Bisping found his way out of trouble and made it out of the round.

Going right after Henderson to begin round two, Bisping was paying no mind to the prospect of getting nailed by his opponent’s right hand again, and he mixed up his strikes well, punching and kicking to the head and body. Henderson did get another right in, drawing a smile from Bisping, who returned fire with one of his own. After eating a low kick that wasn’t called by referee Yves Lavigne, Hendo did score a second knockdown in the closing moments of the frame, though Bisping quickly recovered from this one.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) Michael Bisping of England kicks Dan Henderson in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) Dan Henderson punches Michael Bisping of England in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)Henderson had his mouth open throughout round three, and Bisping took advantage with a high volume striking attack that allowed him to dominate the round. Henderson did land a couple rights, but Bisping took them well as the bout went into the championship rounds.

Temecula’s Henderson got a little busier in round four, perhaps aided by a bit of a break due to a low kick by Bisping. “The Count” did control matters once more though, albeit to a lesser extent than he did in the previous round.

With five minutes to go in the fight, Henderson’s sense of urgency was evident as round five began, and while his strikes were slower, they were still landing and scoring. But just when it seemed that Henderson had some momentum, Bisping would answer back with his flurries of punches and kicks. With under two minutes left, Henderson went back to his wrestling days and scored a takedown, but Bisping jumped up and looked to make a final charge, landing a knee just before the horn that may have sealed this most important of victories.

Mousasi finishes Belfort to extend win streak to 3

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (R-L) Gegard Mousasi of The Netherlands kicks Vitor Belfort of Brazil in their middleweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)Perennial middleweight contender Gegard Mousasi put himself squarely in the title picture at 185 pounds in the UFC 204 co-main event on Saturday, as he stopped Vitor Belfort in the second round at Manchester Arena.

“He’s a legend, fighting him was an honor,” Mousasi, who has won three straight, said.

Mousasi dictated the pace in the first round, staying busier throughout the frame and punctuating his attack with a stiff 1-2 in the final minute. Belfort had success in spurts, but he wasn’t consistent enough to rattle Mousasi.

RELATED: UFC 204 main card reaction – Jimi Manuwa backstage interview | Stefan Struve backstage interview | Mirsad Bectik backstage interview

In the second minute of round two, a right kick to the head by Mousasi rocked Belfort and sent him into the fence. A barrage of punches followed, but Belfort was able to survive. Mousasi kept the pressure on though, as he took Belfort to the mat and continued his assault. And after getting into the mount position, it was game over, as more unanswered blows brought referee Marc Goddard in to stop the fight at 2:43 of the second stanza.

With the win, the No. 9-ranked Mousasi upped his record to 40-6-2; the No. 5-ranked Belfort falls to 25-13.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: (L-R) Jimi Manuwa of England punches Ovince Saint Preux in their light heavyweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)MANUWA vs SAINT PREUX

London’s Jimi Manuwa made a statement in his bout with fellow light heavyweight contender Ovince Saint Preux, scoring a second round knockout of his foe.

Surprisingly, much of the first round was waged in the clinch and on the mat, with Manuwa initiating much of the action, but Saint Preux appearing to be more comfortable and effective wherever the fight went.

Manuwa began getting his striking game in gear in round two, and he landed effectively with both hands. OSP had little response for the Londoner, who weakened his foe with body shots before a right hand sent him to the deck. Saint Preux rose quickly, but a left hand put him down and out, with referee Leon Roberts calling a stop to the fight at 2:38 of the second frame.

The No. 8-ranked Manuwa moves to 16-2 with the win. The No. 5-ranked Saint Preux falls to 19-9.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: Stefan Struve of The Netherlands (top) punches Daniel Omielanczuk of Poland in their heavyweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)STRUVE vs OMIELANCZUK

In a clash of European heavyweight contenders, the Netherlands’ Stefan Struve submitted Poland’s Daniel Omielanczuk in the second round.

The first round was fairly even in the early going, with Omielanczuk having some success getting inside with his strikes, and Struve answering back with kicks and knees to the body. But a little past the midway point, Struve tripped Omielanczuk to the mat and went to work, controlling his opponent as he looked for the submission. He didn’t get it, but it likely locked up the round for him.

Struve got Omielanczuk to the mat in the second minute of round two, and this time the “Skyscraper” locked in a D’Arce choke that finished matters at the 1:41 mark.

With the win, the No. 12-ranked Struve moves to 32-8; the No. 14-ranked Omielanczuk, who was finished for the first time in his career, falls to 19-6-1 with 1 NC.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: Mirsad Bektic of Bosnia submits Russell Doane in their featherweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)BEKTIC vs DOANE

Rising featherweight star Mirsad Bektic made his first start since May of 2015 a successful one, as he submitted Russell Doane in the first round of the main card opener.

The No. 15-ranked Bektic (11-0) got the fight to the mat in the second minute, and while Doane (14-7) got to his feet three times, the Bosnia native grounded him each time in response. With under two minutes left, Bektic took control, and after patiently working for an opening, he sunk in the rear naked choke that ended the bout at 4:22 of the first round.

Doane, who took the fight on Monday, was the third opponent for Bektic, replacing the injured Arnold Allen and Jeremy Kennedy.

Alcantara, Stasiak shine on UFC 204 late prelims

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCT. 08: (L-R) Iuri Alcantara of Brazil attempts to submit Brad Pickett of England in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)Brazilian bantamweight veteran Iuri Alcantara delivered the most impressive two minutes of his UFC career in UFC 204 prelim action at Manchester Arena on Saturday night, showing off his entire MMA game en route to a first-round submission of Brad Pickett.

Alcantara struck first with a knee in the opening minute, and a crushing spinning back elbow dropped Pickett in the second minute of the frame. Alcantara went in for the finish and landed several hard shots. After Pickett shook off those blows, Alcantara adjusted and went after the submission and he got it, as sunk in a triangle choke that ended the bout 1:59 into the fight.

Para’s Alcantara moves to 33-7, 1 NC with the win; London’s Pickett falls to 26-12.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCT. 08: (L-R) <a href='../fighter/damian-stasiak'>Damian Stasiak</a> of Poland submits <a href='../fighter/David-Grant'>Davey Grant</a> of England in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)“ align=“center“ />STASIAK vs GRANT</strong></p><p>Damian Stasiak made it two straight in the Octagon in bantamweight action, as he submitted Davey Grant in the third round.</p><p>The opening round was competitive throughout, with Stasiak possibly edging Grant, which prompted “Dangerous” Davey to go on the attack with his standup game. Mixing things up nicely with punches, kicks and knees, Grant froze Stasiak with his strikes. With a little over two minutes left, Stasiak halted his foe’s momentum with a takedown, but Grant shot right back to his feet and got back to business. Another Stasiak takedown followed, and this time he got the mount, but Grant eluded danger by the end of the round.</p><p>The two bantamweights continued to battle in the third round, but eventually, Stasiak broke the fight wide open, locking in a tight armbar. Grant courageously tried to escape, but to no avail, as he was forced to tap out at the 3:56 mark.</p><p>Lodz’ Stasiak improves to 10-3 with the win; Bishop Auckland’s Grant falls to 10-3.</p><p><strong><img src=Reza Madadi, falls to 13-3.

Perry KOs Roberts in terrific UFC FIGHT PASS featured fight

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCT. 08: (L-R) <a href='../fighter/mike-perry'>Mike Perry</a> knees <a href='../fighter/danny-roberts'>Danny Roberts</a> of England in their welterweight bout during the UFC 204 Fight Night at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)“ align=“center“ />Unbeaten welterweight prospect Mike Perry usually ends his fights in the first round, but Saturday at Manchester Arena, “Platinum” had to wait until 20 seconds were left in the fight to get his knockout victory, as he halted Danny Roberts in the third and final round of their exciting UFC 204 bout.<p>Perry was the aggressor throughout the first half of the opening round, but he was largely ineffective, as Roberts scored with several counter punches and kicks. With 2:20 remaining though, Perry finally caught up with Roberts and landed a hard knee that led Roberts into a takedown attempt that came up empty. While on the mat, Perry was in control, and by the end of the frame, the two were standing but it was Perry rocking his foe with several hard strikes that brought the fight back to the canvas.</p><p><strong>RELATED: <a href=Watch the UFC FIGHT PASS prelims replay | Order UFC 204 now

Roberts had his legs back under him to begin round two, and he proceeded to look sharp with his striking. But again, midway through the round, Perry began to turn up the heat and let his hands go. This time, Roberts weathered the attack, and thanks to some hard kicks to the leg, he was able to put Perry on the defensive for the first time. A right hand by Perry was the equalizer though, as he drilled Roberts and then ended the frame with a potent barrage of ground strikes.

Both fighters got their share of shots in as the third round got underway, and the crowd loved it, especially since the back and forth action continued throughout the frame. But in the closing minute, Perry closed the show, rocking Roberts with a knee and then following it up with a right hand that dropped Roberts. Two shots later, referee Marc Goddard intervened at the 4:40 mark.

With the win, Orlando’s Perry improves to 9-0; London’s Roberts falls to 13-2.

SANTOS vs. MARTINS

In a clash of Brazilian lightweight veterans, Leonardo Santos extended his current unbeaten streak to 11 with a split decision win over Adriano Martins.

The first round could be summed up as Martins chasing and Santos retreating, but that would be over simplifying things, as Santos may have landed the most telling blows of the round, as his kicks and knees when Martins got too close allowed him to keep dictating where the fight took place.

Santos introduced more forward motion into his attack in round two, which left him open to counters from Martins, but there was still precious little action to separate the two.

In the third, Santos briefly looked for a takedown but came up empty; Martins didn’t make him pay though, making it another largely tentative round from both fighters. Martins did try to kick it into second gear late as he went in search of the win, but the victory went to Santos via scores of 29-28 twice and 28-29.

With the win, Rio de Janeiro’s Santos moves to 16-4-1; Manaus’ Martins falls to 28-8.

LIVE: UFC 204 results and news

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Who were the winners at UFC 204: Bisping vs Henderson 2? Click below to get the results for all the fights at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday, October 8, 2016.
Main event: Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson
Fight coming up later tonight on Pay-Per-View
Co-main: Vitor Belfort vs Gegard Mousasi
Fight coming up later tonight on Pay-Per-View
Ovince Saint Preux vs Jimi Manuwa
Fight coming up later tonight on Pay-Per-View
Stefan Struve vs Daniel Omielanczuk
Fight coming up next on Pay-Per-View
Mirsad Bektic defeats Russell Doane
Bektic was dominant yet patient in this encounter, taking down Doane early and remaining in control for over three minutes until he could get in position for a rear naked choke submission victory in the first round.
Iuri Alcantara defeats Brad Pickett
Alcantara made quick work out of Pickett. The Brazilian rocked Pickett with a spinning back elbow and eventually got him to the ground, where he was in control and locked Pickett into a mounted triangle, then an armbar, and finally back into a triangle for the victory in less than 2 minutes.
Damian Stasiak defeats Davey Grant

Wow! A tight battle that looked set for the scorecards and was tied on two scorecards going into the final round was settled before the judges’ got the opportunity to decide a winner when Stasiak caught Grant in an armbar just past halfway in the final round. Grant tried desperately to get out of it, but he could not break out and had no option but to submit.

They said it:
Damian Stasiak: “I am very happy, what can I say? Manchester is an amazing city so it was great to get to fight here and to win in front of the spectators here. I’m looking forward to coming back and fighting again in the UFC. It isn’t important who I fight. I will fight whoever I am given. I’d like to be back in March/April time.”
Davey Grant: “I felt comfortable. He was good on the floor but I felt like I was winning the stand up all day long. But when I got on top, I thought I was two rounds up so I would gain a bit of time in top position but then I got caught. I think my arm might possibly be broken. I felt it cracking when I was in the arm bar but I just didn’t want to tap, it meant too much. I’ll be straight back in the gym as soon as my arm is fixed.“

Leon Edwards defeats Albert Tumenov

This fight featured multiple twists and turns. Edwards dominated the first round, landing 23 strikes to Tumenov’s 2 and successfully securing 3 takedowns with strong grappling. Tumenov started gaining control throughout the second round and parts of the third. Just when it was looking bleak for Edwards, the Jamaican fighting out of Birmingham turned the tables with a rear naked choke to earn the submission win.

They said it:
Leon Edwards: “It was a tough fight. Albert is one of the best strikers in the division but I went out there knowing that I could beat him wherever the fight went. He got the better of me in the second round but I stayed composed, stayed confident and got the finish. I’ll fight them all – I’ll fight whoever they give me so it doesn’t matter who’s next. The support tonight means a lot. I remember being a kid and coming to the UFC in London and watching it, and saying ‘one day I’ll be in the UFC fighting in England’ and now here I am. I came through and got the victory here tonight so that means a lot“.
Albert Tumenov: “I tried to keep it standing but today was just his day, what more can I say? I just want to get back to fighting at my level. I want to get back there right away.“

Marc Diakiese defeats Lukasz Sajewski

Marc Diakiese showed off his power in his UFC debut. The Manchester resident struggled initially as Sajewski grappled him to the ground, but when Diakiese was able to battle in the standup he was the much better fighter. The contest went deep into the second round until Diakiese cornered Sajewski and proceeded to throw countless jabs and knees until finishing his rival by TKO with 20 seconds remaining in the round.

They said it:
Marc Diakiese: “This is the best feeling in the world. I’ve worked so hard for this moment and now it’s here and I’m starting to enjoy it. I’ve got great fans behind me; the support is amazing. I’m going to work to bring the belt to the UK for the fans. In the UFC you’ve got to entertain. UK fans like to see great fights and that’s what I’m looking to give them. Whatever UFC gives me next, I’m here. I’m looking to take on anybody and clean up the division.“
Lukasz Sajewski: “The problem is, I just had eight days’ notice so the only thing I had time to do was cut weight and so I wasn’t fully prepared. I just felt exhausted and that was the problem. I want to get back in there, keep busy and fight as often as I can but with proper preparation next time. If I can do that, then I’m pretty sure I can be back in the UFC.“

Mike Perry defeats Danny Roberts

There was plenty of animosity in the buildup to this one and it showed from the start. The two traded shots early until a Perry uppercut sent Roberts to the ground in Round 1, leading Perry to take control for a good portion of the first five minutes both on the ground and then once Roberts got back up again. London-born Roberts made a comeback in the second round with calculated punches and leg kicks, but could not land more than one or two at a time. Roberts looked set to take the round until the last 30 seconds when Perry managed to take him to the mat and proceed with good ground-and-pound until the bell. Both had their moments with strong shots in the final round, but Roberts looked out of gas with mere seconds remaining and Perry was able to pounce with a vicious right knee and a ground attack for the late KO victory. In the final numbers, Perry out-struck Roberts by 40 strikes (117-77) to improve to 9-0, with his last two in the UFC.

Leonardo Santos defeats Adriano Martins

It was a tentative start between the two Brazilian fighters, but action slowly picked up as both started throwing leg kicks, with Santos getting the better of the action. However, neither fighter inflicted much damage and the fight went to the judges. The decision was in favor of Santos by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29). Santos, The Ultimate Fighter Brazil season 2 winner, improves to 16-4-1 as a professional and ties the fifth-longest active UFC winning streak in the lightweight division tonight with his fourth-straight win.

They said it:
Leonardo Santos: “I feel great. This was my second fight in England so this is a good place for me to fight I think! I’m so happy. Everything I did in my camp, I did tonight so I’m very happy. In my mind, I won the first two rounds. The third round was a bit tight but I definitely felt that I won the fight.“
Adriano Martins: „That’s the judges’ decision. I don’t agree with them, though. Of course, I feel like I could have done better, like I am capable of doing better but that’s all part of the game.”

For Bisping and Henderson, rivalry comes full circle at UFC 204

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MANCHESTER, England

Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson at UFC 204.

It’s about the middleweight championship of the world. It’s about history … but more than anything else, it’s about two guys who simply don’t like each other who want to knock the other one out.

What more could you want out of a fight?

Saturday night’s main event features two legends of the sport: champion Bisping, who is tied with Georges St-Pierre for most wins inside the Octagon (19 apiece). And Henderson, a legend of the sport who has 25 wins in major MMA competition (combination of UFC / PRIDE / Strikeforce), second most of all-time.

RELATED: Top 5 Media Day moments | Open Workout highlights | Rankings Report: UFC 204 preview | Iniside the Octagon | UFC 204 Countdown

As impressive as those figures are, put those aside for the time being. Despite both combatants protesting otherwise in the buildup, Saturday’s Pay-Per-View main event matchup is about unfiltered animosity.

The feud began in spring 2009, when they were opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, and it hit its crescendo at UFC 100 in July of that year when Henderson humbled Bisping with a second round KO.

Seven years later, Bisping readily admits that he’s “Embarrassed” by his performance and tries to claim it’s all in the past. But hear him talk enough, and you can tell that he still desperately wants revenge:

“I have to win this fight,” Bisping told UFC.com before arriving in Manchester. “Of course I’m the champion and I want to keep the belt, but if I lose to Dan Henderson that’ll be worse than losing it to anybody else – I don’t want to lose to Dan Henderson twice, let’s just say that.”

“Is it personal? Not really, but he wants to knock me out,” Bisping explained at Thursday’s Ultimate Media Day. “What more motivation do you need? He’s going to try and knock me out on Saturday night – so I guess it is kind of personal.”

And then the clincher, at Friday night’s weigh-ins: “Who wants to see Hendo get knocked the F out? Come on make some noise! Guys, this is the pinnacle of my career, it doesn’t get any better than this. I’m the champion, defending it in Manchester. … (Expletive) Henderson. Manchester let’s (expletive) do this!”

Anybody believe Bisping isn’t extra fired up for another shot at Henderson?

Then there’s Hendo. The 46-year-old former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion was ready to walk away from the sport after defeating Hector Lombard in front of over 100 friends and family in his Southern California backyard this past June at UFC 199.

But the attraction of a UFC championship, the only belt the famed MMA star has failed to capture in his historic career, was a strong one. Getting to rematch against an old foe? That put it over the top and ensured he’d give it a final go inside the Octagon.

“I think I’m going to win,” Henderson said earlier in the week. “Hopefully I can land a big ‘H-Bomb.’ But I’m looking to win every round and making sure I punish him along the way and the judges will see it my way if it does go to a decision. But obviously the best ending is similar to the last fight.”

But just like Bisping, Henderson dropped his guard even more as the week went on and his true feelings became known.

“Whatever (Bisping) wants to tell himself is all right with me,” Henderson said. “I know what I’m capable of doing, and he’s going to find out what I’m capable of on Saturday.”

Forge the numbers, forget the belt. Saturday’s main event is simply two guys who don’t like each other who want to put on a show for the sold out crowd in Manchester and those watching around the world.

You don’t want to miss it.

Jorge Mondaca is managing editor of UFC.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JorgeAMondaca

Tweets of the Week – 10/7

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UFC 204 – Bisping vs Henderson

Awww. The Notorious Softie.

How Dare You, Kenny!

When Other Jones Met Other Cormier

Mind of Mitch

Remembering Josh Samman

UFC 204: Bisping vs Henderson weigh-in results

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UFC 204, which is headlined by the middleweight title fight between Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson, and the middleweight clash between Vitor Belfort and Gegard Mousasi, airs live on Pay-Per-View from Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday, October 8 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.

Four prelim bouts will air live on FS1 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, and the event’s first two prelims will air exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS beginning at 7pm ET / 4pm PT.

Main Event – Five round championship fight
Michael Bisping (185 lbs) vs Dan Henderson (184 lbs)

Pay-Per-View Main Card – 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
Vitor Belfort (186) vs Gegard Mousasi (185)
Ovince Saint Preux (205) vs Jimi Manuwa (205)
Stefan Struve (265) vs Daniel Omielanczuk (239)
Mirsad Bektic (144) vs Russell Doane (145)

FS1 Prelims – 8 pm ET/5 pm PT
Brad Pickett (136) vs Iuri Alcantara (136)
Davey Grant (135) vs Damian Stasiak (135)
Leon Edwards (169) vs Albert Tumenov (169)
Lukasz Sajewski (156) vs Marc Diakiese (156)

UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims – 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
Danny Roberts (170) vs Mike Perry (170)
Leonardo Santos (156) vs Adriano Martins (155)

Culture of combat makes UFC 204 special for Manchester

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCT. 06: Michael Bisping of England interacts with media during the UFC 204 Ultimate Media Day at Manchester Central. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)MANCHESTER, England

“We are all fighters” is more than just a saying; it’s an ethos – a way of life. Few cities in the world show off that spirit more than Manchester, site of Saturday’s UFC 204.

Known for its industrial origins tracing back to the 19th century, Manchester is now much more of a modern city – but walk around town and you can see that there’s a fighting spirit among the locals. It’s where former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton traces his roots. It’s where saying you support either local soccer team, Manchester United or Manchester City, in the wrong part of town can get you into trouble. It’s where punk rock once reigned supreme, and its music products still retain an edge – even their pop stars (just search Liam fights Noel on stage).

RELATED: Michael Bisping on UFC Unfiltered podcast | Bisping vs Hendo preview | Media Day faceoff | Bisping – hometown hero

It’s the perfect stage to showcase the rise of MMA in the United Kingdom, and for the first UK champion to defend his crown.

“Obviously (headliner) Michael (Bisping) is from Manchester, but even if he wasn’t this is the perfect place,” UFC veteran-turned analyst Dan Hardy said. “The fans are going to be lively, even at 5 o’clock in the morning. I had a great fight here myself at UFC 105 versus Mike Swick and the atmosphere at Manchester Arena was amazing. The fans really appreciate it. (This week) the open workouts were buzzing, the autograph signing that we did was amazing.

“This city laps it up, they love it – more so than any other city in the UK, the northern cities generally are more hardened, more working class, whereas with London you’ve got more of a metropolitan mix. It’s the perfect place to hold an event like this and these fighters have been well received by the fans.”

The arrival of UFC 204 fits perfectly into a distinct combat culture that helps Manchester its unique identity.

“Things are coming together (in the UK). It’s becoming a sport in itself in the country and people are starting to recognize that,” Hardy said. “We have great athletes here and we’re a fighting culture. You go out on a Friday or Saturday night in any city, you’ll see people wanting to get into fights.

“It’s instinctual for us, we’re a battle-hardened island. We’ve been invaded so many times over the years that the survival of the fittest thing is a filtration process and there are lots of guys in this country that enjoy that competition. And now we’ve got MMA taking over, we’ve got a place for them to test themselves.”

According to Hardy, part of the MMA takeover is the infrastructure being established. Back when he was on his way up as a fighting prospect, he’d have to drive to different places to train, whereas now MMA gyms are popping up so fighters can begin to train in one place. So while many top talents leave the UK for places like Tristar Gym, Blackzillians and American Top Team, more talent is being developed locally and soon they’ll be able to stay home to train.

That’s partly why Saturday night’s card features seven fighters with connections to the UK – including those born here, like Bisping (Manchester), Danny Roberts (London), Davey Grant (Bishop Auckland) and Brad Pickett (East London). And a few that have now made the UK their home, as is the case with Leon Edwards (fighting out of Birmingham), Marc Diakiese (fighting out of Doncaster) and Jimi Manuwa (fighting out of London).

The excitement to see the champion Bisping and all the UK talent is one of the reasons why Manchester Arena sold out within minutes of UFC 204 tickets going on sale.

“(Manchester Arena) is similar to MGM. It’s a very tight, small arena,” Danny Roberts said. “The atmosphere is immense. The UK fans are crazy, they are going to make some noise and I’m sure everybody through every avenue around the world are going to know about it. MMA is big in the UK and people want it here more, more and more. UFC are going to have to start bringing it back to feed us because there are hungry people willing to spend the money to watch some up-and-coming fighters and obviously some old legends like we’ve got on this card. It’s the perfect recipe for a good night.

“I’m grateful for the UFC for giving me that opportunity. I feel blessed to be back home. People have been waiting for this, they’ve been talking about this. I’ve seen the atmosphere and I can feel the love and excitement from the UK fans from every angle. … It’s going to be electric from start to finish.”

While the excitement is certainly high for all the talent throughout the card, it will reach fever pitch levels for the main event when hometown hero Bisping takes the stage as the first UK champion. And there’s no doubt he feels good about it.

“It’s amazing to be here now,” Bisping said. “To see all these English fighters on the card. England has the best fighting talent in the world. It was only a matter of time before we had a world champion. Whether it was me or someone else, it was going to happen.

“After I beat (Luke) Rockhold, Dana (White, UFC president) called me up and offered me this fight in a few different places: Cardiff, London, Manchester. I said, ‘Manchester, mate, simple as that, there’s no discussion.’ I’m from down the road, 25 minute drive and you’re there. This is the capital of the north, it’s where I’m from and I’d rather be nowhere else right now.”

Jorge Mondaca is managing editor of UFC.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JorgeAMondaca

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