Quitters Never Win

by Michael Bisping

  My Dad has always been the greatest supporter of my martial arts career. He drove all over the UK and then flew all over the world to be in my corner. I sometimes wish I’d gotten a little more of his size – I’d have made a great UFC heavyweight champion – but what I did get from my dad, his sense of pride and discipline, made me the man I am today.

  And completing the support system I’ve had since day one are my brothers and sisters, Stephen, Konrad, Adam, Maxine and Shireen. Thank you for your never-ending love and support.

  To my old friends – the lads – from Clitheroe, thank you for the great times. You know who you are and exactly what I mean by great times!

  I’ve always been extremely fortunate to have fantastically loyal and crazy/interesting mates and for those who aren’t mentioned in the book, please understand that’s purely due to me already going way over the word count. You know who you are I thank you from bottom of my heart.

  I also didn’t have space to detail just how important my time training with Allan Clarkin and everyone from the Black Knights kickboxing gym in Burnley was in my life, but I gladly acknowledge it here.

  Everyone in MMA owes Dana White and Lorenzo Ferritta a debt of gratitude but I want to give personal thanks for their belief and support over the years – and for always allowing me to be me. I also want to recognize the dozens of UFC staff who’ve gone above and beyond their job description over the years.

  A career as long as the one I had in MMA is built on thousands upon thousands of hours of training and learning from hundreds of not only coaches but training partners. I owe thanks to everyone who swopped punches in the face with me in the name of self-improvement. I also want to recognise the support of my sponsors over the years and every gym that opened its doors to me, even if it was for one or two workouts while I was in town.

  I owe more than my world championship to Jason Parrillo. He not only changed the trajectory of my MMA career, but helped me grow as a man as much as a fighter.

  Another architect of my title reign is Brady Fink. He is always in my corner, in life as well as in MMA. Thank you, brother. I also want to acknowledge Daz Morris, a great striking coach and even better friend. Thanks also to Pat Tenore and the whole RVCA Sport family for allowing me to make the RVCA training centre the headquarters for the biggest successes of my career. Some of the best times of my life were spent at that gym with those people.

  Everyone who steps into the Octagon, a ring or a BJJ mat is offering irrefutable proof of their courage. It takes guts to volunteer for a prize fight and I want to state I respected every opponent – from UFC legends to kids I grappled against in the 90s. It was an honour to complete with you.

  It’s a fact of human nature (or maybe just mine – ha!) that naysayers and haters can be every bit as motivating as supporters. So, I also owe a strange sort of thanks to some of my old school teachers, a few hundred internet trolls and some former ‘team members’. Thank you for doubting me – you fuelled my desire to achieve more than you will ever know. Cheers! ;D

  Thanks, of course, to the team at Penguin Random House UK for allowing me to tell my story and to my agent extraordinaire, Mike Staudt, for his unfailing support in general and for pitching this book in particular.

  To my children Callum, Ellie and Lucas – your Dad is so proud of you. You were all the inspiration I ever needed. I love you more than I can put into words.

  Finally, I’m going to try once more to get across just how indebted I am to my wife, Rebecca. Every success in this book is hers as much as mine. This book, the world title, the movies, TV work, podcast – none of it would ever have happened without you in my life, babe. You are my whole world. I love you.

  – Michael Bisping

  ***

  Thank you, Mike, for your trust, humour and friendship – not only while writing this book together but for the last 13 years.

  Throughout this process, the archives of Sherdog.com, MMAJunkie.com, MMAFighting.com and several long-gone MMA websites were fantastic references. But Mike and I owe special thanks to my friends Tom Gerbasi, Elliot Worsell, Ariel Helwani and Rami Genauer. Their keen insight and input was invaluable.

  I want to join Mike in thanking the team at Penguin Random House UK, especially Commissioning Editor Robyn Drury for her guidance and patience and copy editor Ian Allen, who not whack-a-moled typos but also made several suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript.

  I also want to thank my Mum for her support and my Dad for sparking my interest in combat sports in the first place.

  My wife, Jacquie, encourage me during the long nights and weekends writing this book required with the grace and empathy that I first fell in love with. Our son, Xander, also understood why Daddy had to (again) shut the door and do ‘important work’.

  But nothing’s more important to me than you and your mum, Little Big Guy.

  – Ant Evans

  THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

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  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,

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  London SW1V 2SA

  Ebury Press is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

  Copyright © Michael Bisping 2019

  Cover design by Two Associates

  Michael Bisping has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  First published by Ebury Press in 2019

  penguin.co.uk

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 9781473568105