Most fighters can agree that fighting with an injury just isn’t worth the risk. While you could choose to take the gamble, you are faced with two highly likely probabilities: a tough loss that could derail your career or the very likely possibility of making everything so much worse. And if either of those comes true, you can’t come back and say you were injured because a real fighter doesn’t make excuses. Rest and rehab seem to be the obvious choice here, but what if you’re faced with an injury that can’t be fixed?
Now, what about fighting for the most prominent fighting organization in the world, the UFC, after having been declared legally blind in one eye? Imagine having to hide that secret from your boss and the commission. Having to memorize eye tests, adapt your style, and compete against the best in the world, all the while praying no one finds out. And now, picture yourself taking a title fight on just 17 days’ notice, legally blind, and no one knows. It’s hard to imagine anyone who could do this, but the fact of the matter is, this is precisely what Michael “The Count” Bisping has done.
It was January 2013, and Bisping was gearing up for his 17th UFC fight. His opponent: former light heavyweight champ Vitor Belfort. Now competing at middleweight, Belfort looked like the Hulk, jacked with muscle despite cutting to a lower weight class. In the second round, Belfort landed a clean head kick that dropped Bisping, then finished the fight with ground and pound.
This bout took place during the tail end of the TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) era. At the time, fighters could apply for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) to use TRT legally, even though it was still considered a performance-enhancing drug by most athletic commissions. Technically within the rules, a few fighters clearly took advantage of the loophole.
Please Note: The UFC and athletic commissions banned TRT in February 2014.
That single kick detached Bisping’s retina. Afraid of what it might mean, he hid the injury from the UFC and delayed treatment. By the time he got surgery, his vision was nearly gone. Multiple operations followed, but they were unable to save it. Bisping was declared legally blind in his right eye.
Despite what most would deem a career-ender, Bisping carried on as if nothing had happened and went to great lengths to conceal the extent of the injury. His next time in the Octagon saw him victorious. From there, it was an uphill battle: winning some, losing others.
Then came his fight with Anderson Silva in 2016. Despite coming off two solid wins against C.B. Dollaway and Thales Leites, most people in the industry wrote Bisping off; there was just no way he could be a legend like Silva. But he did just that, winning the fight by unanimous decision. Many MMA fans viewed the fight as a pivotal moment in both men’s careers, like a passing of the torch, so to speak. The Silva era was over, and the Bisping era was taking off. Meanwhile, there wasn’t a single person in the UFC who knew that Bisping had been declared legally blind in his right eye. By then, he had mastered the vision tests required to keep his secret hidden.\
Just 80 days after his landmark victory against “The Spider,” Bisping was offered a last-minute shot at the title. He had been fighting in the UFC for a decade and was finally going to get his moment, but with only 17 days to prepare. The fight was against Luke Rockhold, a man he had lost to via guillotine choke after being dropped with a head kick two years prior. Most sports analysts said Bisping was an extreme longshot, at best. So when he finished Rockhold in the first, there wasn’t a single person who saw it coming.
It took Bisping 12 years of grit, grind, and unwavering determination to have that strap proudly placed around his waist, and in doing so, he became the promotion’s first-ever British champion. And even amid the media storm that followed, Bisping never let it slip that he was blind in one eye.
He booked one more fight in 2016, a title defense against Dan Henderson. Henderson had knocked out Bisping in 2009 at UFC 100, back when he still had vision in both eyes. Many fighters will tell you that becoming champion is a lot easier than holding onto the belt. The two battled in front of 16,000 fans at Manchester Arena, Bisping’s hometown, and earned Fight of the Night honors. Henderson managed to drop Bisping twice in their grueling five-round war, but Bisping soaked up the punishment and stayed relentless in his pursuit. He retained his title via unanimous decision.
A few fights later, on 28 May 2018, Bisping officially announced his retirement. After 15 years of professional fighting, the toll on his body had reached its limit. He had achieved everything there was to accomplish in the UFC and was at a point where the risks outweighed the rewards.
Shortly after his retirement, Bisping finally opened up about his injury, much to the shock of his fans, former opponents, and the UFC itself. He now uses a prosthetic eye that he likes to pop out from time to time, kind of like a party trick. Always a man to seize the moment, Bisping uses his experience to highlight the risks of prize fighting and the very real dangers of PEDs.
Now, for the first time ever, you have the chance to train with Michael Bisping in person. This August, “The Count” is hosting an exclusive two-day event at Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA in Phuket, featuring live training sessions, Q&As, photo ops, and a deep dive into the mindset that made him a world champion. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a fighter chasing greatness, this is your shot to learn from one of the UFC’s most inspiring figures.
Spots are limited and going fast — book your place now.