Michael Bisping

TRAINING: Run first thing in the morning. Wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu in the morning, and then striking and sparring in the evening.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I’ve been doing martial arts since I was eight years old, but I started training for mixed martial arts specifically in summer of 2003.  I had done kickboxing and jiu-jitsu for years, but I took it up as a career in 2003.  I had a lot of jobs but I had never been happy in anything I did, so when I did this, it was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life – I’ve never been happier and so far things have been going really well.

Accomplishments in amateur competition? 1995 Silver medal – world jiu-jitsu championships; 5 x British kickboxing champion; God knows how many times British Sport jiu-jitsu champion.

Accomplishments in pro competition? Cage Rage Champion, Cage Warriors Champion, FX3 Champion, TUF 3 Champion, Coach on TUF 9 and TUF 14.

Ranks in any martial arts styles: None, unless you count 73rd in World Ninja Games 1999 (lack of smoke bomb skills let me down)

Favorite grappling technique: Triangle & Triple Decker Pecker Wrecker

Favorite Striking technique: Flying knee

Do you have any heroes? I’ve got nothing for respect for the guys at the top of the chain – guys like Chuck Liddell and Georges St-Pierre, and guys like Shogun Rua – I admire his style and I think he’s an exciting fighter.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC?  It’s a dream come true.  It’s the top organization in the world, and here it is, three years after I started, and I’m here.  This is just a stepping stone into the UFC and hopefully I can go on and have a decent career here.  I still can’t believe it, to be honest – it’s almost surreal.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn?  I went for a little bit and then left.

What was your job before you started fighting? I was an upholsterer, making furniture, when I switched to MMA.  Before that, you name it, I’ve done it, but all the crappy jobs though, nothing too flamboyant.  I was a slaughterman, builder, and laborer.

Inspiration for his nickname, “The Count”: His grandfather, Andrew, was nobility in Poland and a high-ranking military leader.

Figure he calls “hero”: Randy Couture

Not Too Shabby: Voted “Coolest Man in The U.K.” by readers of Zoo Magazine, beating out Daniel Craig and David Beckham. Voted “Fighter of the Year” in 2008 by readers of best-selling Nuts Magazine, beating out British boxing legends Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe.

Rehearsing His Lines: Bisping’s acting credentials include roles in the British television series “Hollyoaks Later” and action movie “BeatDown.”

Making History: First British fighter to headline a UFC card (UFC 78 in Newark, N.J. versus Rashad Evans); Pitted against Dan Henderson in one of three superfights at UFC 100 in Las Vegas; served as coach of British team for The Ultimate Fighter season 9 reality show on Spike TV.