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Bisping suffers ferocious KO defeat just three weeks after losing UFC title

The 38-year-old former middleweight champion fought today for the second time this month.

KELVIN GASTELUM PICKED up what he described as the biggest win of his career today when he knocked out Michael Bisping in the main event at UFC Fight Night 122 in Shanghai.

Gastelum (14-2-1), who won for the first time since his TKO of Tim Kennedy last December, stopped the former middleweight champion at the midway point of the headline bout as the UFC was hosted by mainland China for the first time.

It was a resounding defeat for Bisping (30-9), who was fighting for the second time this month. The English veteran lost his middleweight title at Madison Square Garden just three weeks ago when he was choked out by Georges St-Pierre in the latter stages of the third round of the main event at UFC 217.

When Anderson Silva was forced to withdraw from today’s Shanghai card after falling foul of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Bisping offered his services as a replacement opponent for Gastelum. However, it culminated with the Manchester native suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time in his 13-year professional career.

Although Bisping was commended for a courageous desire to fight again so soon after a stoppage loss, the 38-year-old’s involvement in today’s bout — and the UFC’s willingness to allow it — raised eyebrows from a medical standpoint.

Bisping, who alluded to having one more fight in London next March, said afterwards: “I just want to say congratulations to Kelvin Gastelum, job well done tonight. I was enjoying myself, he caught me with a good shot. God bless Kelvin, he’s young. I’ve done this for a long time. I’m getting old, I’m getting old.”

UFC Fight Night 122 results

  • Kelvin Gastelum def. Michael Bisping via KO (punches) after 2:30 of round one
  • Li Jingliang def. Zak Ottow via TKO (punches) after 2:57 of round one
  • Wang Guan def. Alex Caceres via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Alex Garcia def. Muslim Salikhov via submission (rear-naked choke) after 3:22 of round two
  • Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Sheymon Moraes via submission (anaconda choke) after 4:30 of round three
  • Song Kenan def. Bobby Nash via TKO (punches) after 0:15 of round one
  • Yan Xiaonan def. Kailin Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Song Yadong def. Bharat Kandare via submission (front choke) after 4:16 of round one
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov def. Chase Sherman via KO (punch) after 1:24 of round one
  • Gina Mazany def. Wu Yanan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Rolando Dy def. Wuliji Buren via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Cyril Asker def. Hu Yaozong via submission (rear-naked choke) after 2:33 of round two

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