At 12-0, the UFC's Michael Bisping Is Turning Some Heads in the Light Heavyweight Division

The women have got their eyes on him because of the way he looks, the fighters have got their eyes on him because of his 12-0 record, the experts have their eyes on him because of his skill and talent, England has its eyes on him because he is their native son and he has his eyes on the belt. Just how far can this young fighter go in the UFC's light heavyweight division? Time will tell. In the meantime, Bisping, who was on "The Ultimate Fighter," talks about a variety of topics ... from fighting at UFC 66 to MMA in England to TUF to nerves before a fight.-DJ UFC 66 It had been about six months since I fought, and I was more than ready to go. I was looking forward to getting in there. It had felt like a lifetime. I would like to fight more regularly. MORE CONSISTENCY In the UK, I was fighting every six to eight weeks, and that was working out for me. Plus, I needed money, as well. I like to fight regularly and test myself. THE CURTAIN IS UP It was an honor to be part of the card [UFC 66]. There were a lot of people watching, and it was a big stage. SATURDAY NIGHT IS RIGHT FOR FIGHTING In the fight against Erich Schafer, I wanted to keep the fight on the feet. If it had gone to the floor, it's not that I would have been in a bad situation, but that was the best aspect of his game. The key was to stay on the feet and work on the KO or the TKO. WATCH FILM? I had seen his UFC fights, and I saw some amateur footage of him. He looked decent on the floor, but it was hard to gauge how good he is. He looked [a little] flat on his feet, not [that] agile and quite slow. However, he's a big strong guy, so I knew it would be a good fight. PRESSURE AT 66 I felt a bit of pressure. This was one of the biggest cards [UFC 66] and the first I had been on since "The Ultimate Fighter." People saw how successful I have been and wanted to know if I could live up to the hype. There's always pressure to win, but I seem to thrive on the pressure. WHAT DO I DO TO RELAX? Nothing really. I don't have any strange rituals. I just try to relax. I do normal things. I chill out all day and whatever. GAME DAY I got up at 9 a.m., had a big breakfast and then relaxed. I wanted to save my energy. By 4 p.m., I was off to the venue. ON A ROLL This [the exposure] is great for the UFC. They are doing all the right things to establish themselves as No. 1 in the world. Plus, they just signed [Quinton] "Rampage" [Jackson]. He is a great fighter and one of the best out there. So they are doing all the right things to continue their dominance. RANK THE 205 I think the light heavyweight division is starting to get some momentum and pick up. They just signed Rampage, and there were three light heavyweights [fights] on the card at UFC 66. I think it's great, and I was really looking forward to fighting that night. WHERE DO I FIT IN THE DIVISION? Line them up, and I will knock them down. TITO SUPPORTER I was rooting for Tito [Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell] on the card, and I was hoping he could pull off the upset. I saw Tito the week of the fight, and it was great to see him. We extended a few words, laughed and hugged. He has taught me some good things. We have a bit of a bond there. WHAT DID YOU LEARN? He gave me some good tips in wrestling and takedown defense, which is an area in which I am lacking a bit. He showed me some things, we refined them and perfected them. More than anything else, we worked on takedown defense. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FALLOUT Some people may question the fighters who come out of "The Ultimate Fighter." That is why I am here. I am going to show that I am not just a flash in the pan and that I am here to stay. I am undefeated up until now. I am training hard and have a good team around me. GOOD RATINGS My popularity has been great since I have been on the TV show, and it feels great. I am recognized in the UK, but that recognition is not to the scale of Ricky Hutton's. Since the show, I have done a lot more interviews and I have been recognized from time to time. HEADED HOME How does it feel for the UFC to go to England? It is fantastic. To be honest, England is waiting for this. CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF How is MMA doing in England? A couple years ago you would not hear about it, but now it is taking off. You can catch MMA [almost] every night in England. A few years ago people would not know about it, but people are catching on. People are now turning to MMA now more than boxing and people want to learn about MMA ... not boxing. I think it's growing rapidly. There are magazines, Web sites and clothing lines, etc. ALONG FOR THE RIDE It really is an honor to be part of it [MMA]. I am sitting here in the UFC office doing a media conference call. I am happy. AND THE SHOW? How would I explain my time on "The Ultimate Fighter"? I'd say it's the experience of a lifetime. Some guys have said they would never do it again and hated it, but I loved every minute of it. It was a fantastic experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It made a huge impact on my life. I enjoyed it, and it was a great catalyst for my career. Some of the guys who said they would not do it again got beat in the first round, and they complained about such things as not having a cell phone. PREVIOUS WORK What kind of jobs have I had? Where do I start? I was a tailor, a postman, a laborer, a demolition worker and even a DJ. I drifted in and out of jobs. Not for any reason. There was just nothing that interested me, to be honest. When I went off to college, I focused on advanced electronic engineering. However, I did not have any real interest in that. I sat in the back of class and listened to music. I eventually found my way to fighting. I loved it from then on. DEMOLITION MAN I didn't use dynamite, I used to swing a sledgehammer like a madman. It was a great workout, and that was one of the best jobs I had. LIFE IN THE ARTS I have done a lot of martial arts since I was 8. I was in so many competitions that I lost count. Then I became a DJ and just stopped doing it [the arts]. At one point I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my life. I had a lot of success in the martial arts, so I [eventually] tracked down some coaches. They wanted me to be a boxer when I first started. They told me about the UFC and said they thought I could be a great fighter. When I decided to do it full time and quit work, I got some raised eyebrows from my grandparents. But I made that decision, and here we are today. I could understand them being a bit skeptical, but this was the best decision I made in life. I knew what I was capable of achieving, and it [fighting] is something that I was always good at. I am a natural-born fighter. I have always been able to fight. I believe in myself, and my coach has faith in me, and I'm willing to go for it. THE MENTAL GAME You gotta believe in yourself. You cannot go in there and think you are going to get beat. If you do not believe in yourself, you might as well give up. You cannot go in there thinking you are going to lose. If you don't believe in yourself, you might as well get out. FAMILY SUPPORT I am engaged, and my fiancée does come around to see the fights. At all of the fights, I have friends and family. I like the extra support. When I fight in the UK, I have had as many as 100 people-and maybe more-watch, and I like that. I do not want to lose in front of friends. My mom is disabled so it is hard for her to get around, but she does like watching it on TV. ANY NERVES? Does Rebecca, my fiancée, get nervous? Yes, she gets more nervous than me. Still, she has a lot of faith in me, but she does get nervous for me. THE KIDS We have two kids. Their names are Callum, 5, and Ellie is 3. FUTURE FIGHTER? Will my son become a fighter? He's had some boxing lessons, and he just started doing jiu-jitsu. He says he wants to be a fighter, but he'll be a doctor if I can help it. Hopefully, he'll take after his mom and be sensible! Training in England In England, Michael Bisping trained at the Wolf's Lair, which is in Liverpool. "Without a doubt, it's the No. 1 camp in the UK," says Bisping. The Last Fight Who: Erich Schafer (9-2-2) and Michael Bisping (12-0) What: UFC 66 on December 30 Where: Las Vegas When: December 30 Winner: Bisping Division: Light heavyweight Judge "Doc" Hamilton's Analysis: "Bisping is somebody to watch, for sure." Say Hey Name: Michael Bisping Nickname: The Count Height: 6 feet 1 Weight: 205 Record: 12-0