Michael Bisping Says He Will Finish Dan Henderson in Round Three

Michael Bisping Says He Will Finish Dan Henderson in Round Three

Michael Bisping predicts when he'll finish Dan Henderson in their rematch at UFC 204 in Manchester, England.

Sep 21, 2016 by Jim Edwards
Michael Bisping Says He Will Finish Dan Henderson in Round Three
It's almost impossible to believe, but in two and half weeks Michael Bisping will face Dan Henderson at UFC 204 in Manchester, England.

Normal service with Bisping would see him doing everything possible to get underneath the skin of his opponent, however, this time around, the Brit knows exactly what he is dealing with and seemingly sees no point in wasting energy trying to engage in a war of words beforehand.

"To be honest, there's not a lot to say because Dan Henderson is really kind of a boring guy," Bisping told Independent. "At the press conference, I started off trying to get into a bit of verbal warfare. It helps generate interest in the fight. So I threw a few insults and Dan Henderson wasn't playing ball. I didn't have a dance partner. I started off trying to make it interesting for the fans in attendance, but he wasn't just responding.

"So after a while, after three attempts, I thought unfortunately if he isn't playing ball then I'm going to look like an idiot throwing insults at him for the sake of it. I thought maybe we could have a verbal sparring match and he could defend, but he wasn't interested. Dan's a quiet guy, he's a boring guy. God bless him. But the fight did sell itself and I will deliver a spectacular performance on the night."

The two famously met back at UFC 100 when the fight ended in devastating circumstances for the Brit. This time around, Bisping sees the fight only going one way and he revealed that he's not changed up anything too much since when they last met.

"To be honest, I haven't really changed anything," Bisping said. "I'm just trying to make myself the best version of myself. I feel now, at 37 years old, I'm really in my prime as a fighter. I'm understanding the fight game better. I'm delivering more power. I'm more aggressive. So, I feel I'm in my prime and the only thing I've got to do is get in the best shape I possibly can be and win this fight."

Having the felt power of Henderson's right hand one time in his life already, Bisping knows it's a weapon he must avoid. The UFC middleweight champion predicted he would do that on the night, and that he would finish Henderson inside the distance.

"With Dan Henderson, everybody knows you don't even need to do research to know that it's his right hand," Bisping said. "Dan Henderson has a heavy left and right hand. I, of course, found out at UFC 100. And I've got to watch that right hand. It's simple as that.

"I respect Dan Henderson. I've got the speed advantage. Saying that, I had the speed advantage last time but he caught me. So I've got to be careful and stick to the basics. If I do the basics well, I win the fight.  Keep my chin tucked in, keep my guard high and deliver fast powerful shots. I think as the fight progresses; I will wear him down then I will look for the finish in round three."