MICHAEL Bisping famously walks to the Octagon to Blur’s anthemic ‘Song 2’. It’s one of the most iconic walkouts in the UFC today.
But if he ever decided to find a new, more appropriate song as his walkout song, he need look no further than the lyrics of Chumbawamba’s number-one hit ‘Tubthumping’.
“I get knocked down, but I get up again. You ain’t never gonna keep me down!”
Those words not only apply to Bisping’s career as he’s recovered from a succession of heartbreaks and setbacks to make it to the top – but also to his performance against Dan Henderson in Saturday night’s main event at UFC 204 in Manchester.
Twice Bisping was dropped by Henderson’s honey punch – the ‘H-Bomb’ – but twice he rallied to not just survive, but go on to win the fight after five tense rounds at the Manchester Arena.
When Henderson exploded ‘H-Bomb’ number one at the end of the bout’s opening round, the raucous Manchester crowd held its breath, because we’d seen it happen before.
Back at UFC 100 Henderson landed his trademark right hook flush on Bisping’s chin, knocking him out cold.
And when he connected again on Saturday night the unspoken thought among the fans in the stands was: “Oh no! Not AGAIN!”
WHAT A FIGHT! @bisping gets his revenge, but what a warrior @danhendo is!
#UFC204 https://t.co/fJRzyN5lrj
— BT Sport UFC (@btsportufc) October 9, 2016
But the 2016 version of Michael Bisping is made of sterner, smarter stuff than the young fighter viciously knocked out in 2009.
Rolling with the punches, Bisping was able to take enough venom out of Henderson’s sledgehammer punches to keep him in the fight.
And when he fought his way back to his feet on both occasions the crowd nearly took the roof clean off the Manchester Arena.
Bisping’s remarkable recovery from those two knockdowns en route to eventual victory mirrors the story of his overall career in the UFC, as he’s bounced back from a succession of setbacks to eventually reach the summit and capture the UFC middleweight world title.
Three times he fought in middleweight title eliminators and three times he fell short. On each occasion he fought someone powered by now-controlled (or outright banned) substances, and on one of the three occasions he was harshly dealt with by the judges. But after those three chances came and went, many believed Bisping’s shot at championship glory had passed.
But Bisping persevered and even a detached (then redetached) retina couldn’t completely stop his forward progress, as he bounced back from the potentially career-ending eye injury to fight his way back into contention once more.
In February in London he faced the man he’d been chasing for years, former middleweight champion and all-time great Anderson Silva. And on a thrilling night in the capital he twice dropped ‘The GOAT’ en route to a career-defining decision win.
And in June when he received the call-up on just two weeks’ notice to face middleweight champion Luke Rockhold – who’d already beaten him decisively via submission in Australia – Bisping didn’t hesitate.
And in Los Angeles he produced a stunning performance to knock out Rockhold and claim his destiny as UFC middleweight champion.
After his win, Bisping's first demand as UFC champion was clear. He wanted his first title defence on home soil - and as close to his Clitheroe home as possible. UFC 204 was booked in Manchester and a packed crowd chanted his name and cheered to the rafters as he bounced back from two 'H-Bombs' to retain his title.
With wins over Silva, Rockhold and now Henderson, two five-round thrillers and a stunning knockout, plus a championship belt thrown in for good measure, it's been some year for Michael 'The Count' Bisping.
He deserves the UFC's Fighter of the Year award and, even with the string of medal-winning successes in Rio this summer, he deserves to be shortlisted for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.
He may not attract the same sort of media attention as Conor McGregor, but make no mistake, Michael Bisping is ever bit as important to the sport of mixed martial arts in this country as McGregor has been in Ireland.
He's done the hard yards, talking to an at-times disinterested press as the sport has fought for acceptance in this country.
He's been through the mill, suffering crippling defeats and career-threatening injuries. And he's bounced back each time, taking on each new opponent with typical gusto and twinkle in his eye.
Against all odds, Bisping has made it to the very top and deserves every bit of credit coming his way. Receiving national acclaim via the BBC's SPOTY shortlist would be just desserts for a career of perseverance, persistence and pure British grit.
With MMA still looking to fully break through into the UK sporting mainstream, it's unlikely 'The Count' will win the prestigious award.
But to be shortlisted along with Britain's other big sporting achievers would be just reward not just for the incredible, historic year he's had, but also for the contribution he's made to the sport in this country.
He's the UFC middleweight champion. He's defeated two legends of the sport. He became Britain's first UFC world champion. And he's now won more fights in the UFC (20) than any fighter, ever.
#BispingForSPOTY? He's certainly got my vote.
Simon Head is SunSport's MMA reporter. Follow him on Twitter @simonhead.
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