The main event of UFC 204 featured a rematch between Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson for Bisping’s UFC middleweight title.

All the talk going into the UFC 204 middleweight title main event between champion Michael Bisping and the legendary Dan Henderson focused on one thing: In order to win, Bisping would have to avoid Henderson’s lethal right hand.

Turns out, Bisping didn’t quite avoid it. But Henderson’s best shots also weren’t quite enough. In the final bout of his epic mixed martial arts career, Henderson came within a hair’s breadth of taking the belt, but the 46-year old came up just a little bit short.

After 25 minutes of compelling action, Bisping retained the title in front of his hometown fans at England’s Manchester Arena. Bisping won a unanimous decision Saturday on a pair of 48-47 scores and a 49-46.

source: mmafighting.com

Play-By-Play

Round 1 – Touch of gloves just before 5 a.m. in Manchester. Crowd is electric. Bisping comes forward but keeps his hands high. Bisping high kick blocked. Henderson with a low kick. Bisping with a high kick and a jab. He throws a left hook. Henderson has the right hand cocked, as always. Bisping working the jab and keeping his hands high. Henderson uncorks the right, but Bisping slips it. Bisping with a jab and slips the counter. As expected, Bisping’s work rate higher, but he’s cautious. Bisping working his jab and bringing the right hand behind it. Henderson thinks takedown, but it’s not there. Crowd on their feet and chanting. Bisping has some blood trickling from the right eye of Bisping. He kicks the body. Henderson misses a huge right hand. One minute left. Henderson picking up the pace. The right hand lands, and Bisping hits the floor. Henderson leaps with a strike. Henderson unleashing punches. Bisping collects himself and gets to his feet. Unbelievable. Blood running down Bisping’s face. He fires a leaping kick, and the round ends. What tension. MMAjunkie gives the first to Henderson, 10-9.

Round 2 – Bisping turns to the crowd to ask for noise before walking forward. Bisping’s left eye is an absolute mess, and it’s closing. He moves forward and pumps the jab. Bisping kicks the leg. He goes high, then kicks the leg again. Jab from Bisping, and the right hand is behind it. Another lands. Bisping is getting aggressive. Henderson with a light kick to the leg. Bisping misses a right hand. Jab for Bisping. Right hand. Low kick. Right hand. Rattling off combinations. Bisping high kick blocked but throws Henderson off-balance. Henderson misses a big right hand. Bisping by far the busier man. Switch kick scores. Henderson just looking for the big right. Leaping knee from Bisping just misses. Bisping with a jab and just misses the left. Right hand lands. Bisping lands to the groin. Referee doesn’t see it, and we fight on. Bisping pressing, but Henderson lands the right hand again, and Bisping hits the floor. Henderson jumps on top. Bisping hangs tight underneath until the bell. Tough round to score with the knockdown, but MMAjunkie leans toward Bisping, 10-9.

source: mmajunkie.com

Official Result: Michael Bisping defeated Dan Henderson by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)

Social Timeline

Dan Henderson makes perhaps his final walk to the Octagon, followed by UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784963282276720640

The two fighters square off in the middle of the Octagon for their last minute instructions from the referee Yves Lavigne:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784964617701236740

Henderson tries to land the H-Bomb early in the first round:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784965574166089728

Bisping started to gain some momentum in the second round:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784966807752814592

Henderson lands another big right hand near the end of the second round:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784967197730844672

Both fighters celebrate an awesome fight:

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/784972554616266752

Play-By-Play (continued)

Round 3 – Left eye just getting worse for Bisping. He comes out with a high kick. Jab scores. Henderson sneaks in a lead left hook. Bisping front kick pushes the action away. Bisping scoring with the jabd and sneaking the right behind it, but Henderson just looking to land that one big shot, as he has in the first two rounds. Right hand for Bisping, and he slips the counter. He’s staying in Henderson’s face. Jab. Jab. Right hand. He kicks the legs, and Henderson’s knee buckles. Blood trickling down the left ear of Bisping. Still, he’s moving forward and adding up punches. Henderson misses a right hand and comes up short on a takedown. Big right for Henderson, but Bisping answers back. High kick for Bisping. Right hand lands. A second right scores. Bisping careful to stay at distance. Low kick for Henderson, but Bisping counters with a right. Bisping quicker, but Henderson scores again with the right. MMAjunkie gives the round to Bisping, 10-9.

Round 4 – Bisping out to the center. Neither man can feel good about that second round. Henderson fires a high kick and Bisping smiles. High kick for Bisping. Henderson kicks the leg. Crowd again stars to chant for Bisping. He kicks the legs. Bisping trying to work from the outside. He lands a jab, and Henderson flashes the right hand. Leaping kick from Bisping blocked. He’s happy to strike from the outside. Henderson covering well. Jabs traded. Bisping lands low. Doesn’t seem like referee Yves Lavigne sees it, but Henderson calls for a break, and it’s awarded. Crowd doesn’t like it. Bisping asking them to get even louder, and they do. Henderson seems to be in some pain, but we will fight on. Henderson loading up the right after catchin a little breather. Two punches for Bisping. He paws the jab. Henderson with a low kick. He jabs and looks for the right. Bisping flashes out the high kick a bit, but Henderson covers. Jab for Bisping. Henderson misses the right but scores with a kick to the body. Henderson just misses with a right behind a fake takedown. Bisping kicks the legs with less than a minute. Bisping with the left hand. Henderson pops Bisping’s head back with a jab. Switch kick from Bisping. Henderson just misses a knee. MMAjunkie gives it to Bisping, 10-9.

Round 5 – Could easily be tied right now, so fight could very well be on the line. The two touch gloves. Bisping still moving well, and he misses a spinning kick. Henderson drives out a knee that just misses. Uppercut from Henderson glances off the chin. Henderson just misses a huge right hand. Bisping as fresh as possible after what he’s taken, but Henderson so dangerous. Combinations coming from Bisping as he sticks and moves. He lands a left and a right. Henderson with a huge right hand that just misses. Another fake takedown into a right hand. Bisping with a combination that finishes with a kick to the body. Halfway through the final round. Bisping moving well. He pops the jab and slips the big right. Another left from Bisping. Henderson misses a huge uppercut. Bisping kicks the thigh. Uppercut for Bisping. Henderson rushes in for the takedown. Fight hits the floor. Bisping works to his knees and then his feet without taking any damage. Big moment there for Bisping. His right eye is aweful right now, but he’s back on the feet. Time winding down. Henderson dives for a tkaeodwn, but it’s not there. Bisping with a right hand. Jab. Final seconds of the fight. Crowd on their feet. Leaping knee from Bisping. Henderson with a rolling kick at the end. What a way to go out. MMAjunkie gives the final round to Bisping, 10-9, and awards him the fight 49-46. Wouldn’t be surprised to see 48-47.

source: mmajunkie.com