UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2. June 4, 2016. The Forum, Inglewood, California. Michael Bisping knocked out Luke Rockhold with a left hook and follow-up punches 3:36 into round one. Accepted on 17 days’ notice as the third-choice replacement. A 10-1 underdog. First title shot of his career at 37. First British UFC champion in a major division.
The original main event was Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman rematch — Weidman withdrew May 17 with a neck herniation. Ronaldo Souza was next in line but had injured his meniscus at UFC 198. Bisping— who Rockhold had guillotined in round two in their first meeting (November 2014) — stepped in.
Dominick Cruz retained the BW title in the co-main, defeating Urijah Faber in their third meeting by UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46). Max Holloway won his ninth consecutive fight. Dan Henderson knocked out Hector Lombard. The event also occurred one day after Muhammad Ali’s death on June 3, 2016.
Contents
Quick Stats
Date: June 4, 2016 (day after Muhammad Ali’s death, June 3)
Venue: The Forum, Inglewood, California (first UFC event at this venue; 5th in LA County)
Main Event: Luke Rockhold (c) vs. Michael Bisping — UFC MW Championship (rematch; original: Rockhold/Weidman; Weidman withdrew neck injury May 17; Jacare Souza first replacement but injured knee at UFC 198; Bisping 3rd choice on 17 days’ notice)
Result: Bisping def. Rockhold — TKO R1, 3:36 — BIGGEST UFC MW UPSET; ~10:1 underdog; first title shot at 37; first British UFC major champion
Co-Main: Cruz def. Faber — UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) — BW Championship; 3rd meeting; Faber hinted at retirement
Notable: Ali tribute card (died day before); UFC announced McGregor vs. Diaz 2 and Brock Lesnar’s UFC return during PPV broadcast
Bonuses: POTN: Bisping + Dan Henderson ($50k each); FOTN: Henderson/Lombard ($50k each)
The Build-Up
Bisping had been a UFC fighter since 2006 — a decade in the promotion without a title shot. He’d beaten Anderson Silva at UFC Fight Night 93 in February 2016 (a controversial UD) but had not been officially declared next in line. When Rockhold needed a replacement on short notice, Bisping was the available option. Rockhold had beaten him via guillotine in round two in their first meeting and showed little concern heading into the rematch.
Rockhold’s perceived confidence was noted by media as the fight approached. He spoke openly about dispatching Bisping again, referred to him disparagingly, and appeared to underestimate what a desperate, motivated Bisping could do with a single left hand.
Main Event
Luke Rockhold (c) vs. Michael Bisping — UFC MW Championship
Rockhold came out with kicks, attempting to take away Bisping’s movement. He moved forward with his chin elevated. Bisping threw a counter left hook. It landed cleanly on Rockhold’s chin. Rockhold wobbled and backed up. Bisping charged forward with a hard right hand. Rockhold crashed face-first to the canvas. Bisping added punches. Big John McCarthy pulled him off at 3:36.
Michael Bisping was the UFC Middleweight Champion. Ten years in the promotion. First title shot. 37 years old. First British UFC major champion. He celebrated wildly, drank beers at the post-fight press conference, and continued verbal jousting with a seething Rockhold.
Co-Main Event
Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Urijah Faber — UFC BW Championship (3rd meeting)
Cruz controlled the fight with his distinctive movement and lateral footwork from the first round. Faber managed a powerful slam in round one but was dropped with a left hand in round two. Cruz dropped Faber a second time in round four and dominated rounds two through five. The unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) was the most decisive of their three meetings. Faber was 0-3 in UFC championship fights. He hinted at retirement post-fight at 37 years old.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Sean Strickland def. Tom Breese — Decision (Split) — R3 — MW; Strickland early UFC career
Jessica Andrade def. Jessica Penne — TKO — R2, 2:56 — WSW
Beneil Dariush def. James Vick — KO — R1, 4:16 — LW; Dariush big left hook KO
Brian Ortega def. Clay Guida — TKO (Knee) — R3, 4:40 — FW; Ortega near-losing on cards; knee finish in final seconds
Dustin Poirier def. Bobby Green — KO (Punches) — R1, 2:53 — LW
Main Card
Dan Henderson def. Hector Lombard — KO — R2, 1:27 — MW; head kick + back elbow combination; FOTN ($50k each); potentially Henderson’s final great UFC moment
Max Holloway def. Ricardo Lamas — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (30-27 x3) — FW; Holloway’s 9th consecutive win; building toward FW title shot
Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) — BW Championship; 3rd meeting; Faber hinted at retirement; Co-Main
UFC MW Championship — Main Event
Michael Bisping def. Luke Rockhold — TKO (Punches) — R1, 3:36 — MW Championship; BIGGEST UFC MW UPSET; POTN ($50k); 10:1 underdog; 17 days’ notice; 10-year journey
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Dan Henderson vs. Hector Lombard — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Michael Bisping + Dan Henderson — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Michael Bisping — first British UFC champion in a major division. First title shot of his career after 10 years in the UFC (2006–2016). Won the belt at age 37 on 17 days’ notice. Held the MW title until UFC 213 in July 2017, when Yoel Romero stopped him.
Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber — their third and most decisive meeting. Faber was 0-3 in UFC title fights and went 0-4 overall in BW championship fights including his WEC loss to Cruz.
Max Holloway — ninth consecutive win; his streak built toward a UFC FW title shot against Jose Aldo at UFC 206 (December 2016), which he won by TKO.
Legacy & Impact
Bisping’s win at UFC 199 is one of the sport’s defining upset stories. The arc matters: 10 years in the UFC, endless title shot debates, a previous loss by guillotine to the same man. One left hook changed everything at 3:36 of round one on 17 days’ notice, at a venue Bisping had never fought at before, in a division stacked against him. If you had to pick the single greatest individual achievement in UFC MW history by underdog standards, this is it.
The event also closed out Faber’s era as a genuine BW title contender. Cruz’s movement was simply beyond him in all three meetings once they were at bantamweight. Henderson’s spectacular R2 KO of Lombard was possibly his final great UFC moment on a night built around them.
FAQ
Why was Bisping such a huge underdog at UFC 199?
Rockhold had already beaten Bisping via guillotine in round two in their first meeting (UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Bisping, November 2014). Bisping accepted on 17 days’ notice only because Weidman’s neck injury and Jacare Souza’s knee injury left no one else available. He was listed at approximately 10:1 odds against a dominant champion.
How did Bisping KO Rockhold?
Rockhold came forward with his chin elevated while throwing kicks. Bisping landed a counter left hook flush on his chin. Rockhold staggered backward. Bisping followed with a right hand that put him on the canvas. He added punches and Big John McCarthy stopped the fight at 3:36 of round one.
Was UFC 199 Urijah Faber’s last title fight?
Yes. UFC 199 was Faber’s fourth and final UFC BW championship fight, and he lost all four. He went 1-0 vs. Cruz at WEC featherweight in 2007 (their first meeting) but was 0-3 against Cruz at bantamweight. Faber hinted at retirement post-fight. He made a brief return at UFC 214 before officially retiring in 2016.
What was the Ali connection at UFC 199?
Muhammad Ali died on June 3, 2016 — the day before UFC 199. The UFC paid tribute to Ali throughout the event. Kevin Casey, who is Ali’s son-in-law, fought on the preliminary card. Bisping referenced Ali in his post-fight speech, saying his win was a tribute to "shaking up the world."
What announcements were made during UFC 199?
During the PPV broadcast, UFC announced two major events: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 2 for UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, and Brock Lesnar’s return to the UFC as the co-main event of UFC 200 on July 9, 2016.
References
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