Retired UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping had an inspirational career — one that, in hindsight, is frankly comparable to a video game
With no MMA events lately, fans seem to have to resort to what we can find; for me it was watching some of the UFC Hall of Fame video packages. The one that stuck out the most was Michael Bisping’s, which got me thinking about how Bisping’s career could easily have been the blueprint for the EA Sports UFC game career mode.
If you have played the video game, you will have a sense of where I am coming from. You create a character with your imagination or put yourself, as the old EA tag line goes, “In the Game.”
The similarities are uncanny when you compare the story mode from the game to Bisping’s career.
In the early versions of the game, you earn your way into the UFC by fighting up through the ranks of the WFA, but it seemed EA Sports UFC 3 did it differently by going the Ultimate Fighter route for the create-a-fighter mode. Bisping’s career mirrored each game release as he worked his way up the ranks of the CWFC, but also earned his shot in the UFC by winning a contract from season three of the Ultimate Fighter.
What I want the MMA fan to realize is that we are so lucky to place a controller in our hands and invoke a feeling once our created fighter wins UFC gold and we get to see those crazy cut scenes that go along with it. Through the ups and downs Michael Bisping always believed in himself; whether the fans were cheering or booing, he had a goal and that was to achieve a UFC Championship. That UFC champion gold feeling, from watching Bisping and advancing through the ranks in EA Sports UFC, translates into regular life, and makes us want to do better.
Through hard work and dedication you can achieve your dreams
The take away from this article is the fact that that once an opportunity presents itself, through hard work and dedication you can achieve your dreams. Don’t believe me? Well, on 17 days’ notice Bisping answered the call that would forever enshrine his legacy and cement his name as a UFC champion. He worked hard through all the trash talk and devastating losses, and came back to avenge a loss against Luke Rockhold. Avenged another against Dan Henderson. Bisping changed his life in a such a way it was comparable to a video game — all he had to do was step up to the challenge when nobody else was willing to take a chance. Bisping grabbed an opportunity that earned him respect from not only the guys who signed his checks but everyone who ever has had a dream. What could easily have been a career that ended with “one of the best to never wear gold” suddenly became “overcame the odds to become UFC champion.”
In short Bisping’s career arc, and his late-career success, were inspirational. In this strange new world of social distancing, it inspires regular people like me to stand up and take a challenge — both in video games and real life.
Congrats on your career Michael Bisping, and thank you for being an inspiration to anyone that has a dream worth believing in.
