It’s the fight that UFC fans have been waiting for in the UK, England’s own Michael ‘the Count’ Bisping clashes with Chris ‘the Crippler’ Leben. Grueling, ferocious, skilful and above all extremely hard, these two fighters are at the top of their game. Both men go into the fight undefeated and only one will remain so.

Bisping (16-1, 6-1 UFC) has dazzled since moving to middleweight in April. A native of Liverpool, England, the charismatic 29-year-old destroyed Canadian Jason Day at UFC 85 last month and has recovered nicely from his first career defeat a split decision loss to Rashad Evans  in November. Bisping burst on the scene as a cast member on season three of “The Ultimate Fighter” and has been a key cog in the UFC’s expansion into Great Britain. Eleven of his 16 career wins have come by KO or TKO.

The heavy-handed, iron-chinned Leben (18-4, 8-3 UFC) will enter the matchup on a two-fight winning streak. He figures to test Bisping’s mettle at 185 pounds, as the 28-year-old Oregonian has delivered more than half (10) of his 18 career victories by KO or TKO. He holds wins against the American Kickboxing Academy’s Mike Swick, rising Canadian
contender Patrick Cote and American Top Team teammates Benji Radach and Jorge Santiago.

Bisping and Leben were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 85 in June. However, Leben was forced to withdraw from the show when he had to serve jail time for a probation violation in Oregon.

Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva

Lyoto Machida, fresh off his defeat of Tito Ortiz, will take on Thiago Silva in Birmingham, England.

The 30-year-old Machida (13-0) is considered to be among the top five 205-pounders in the world and has five straight victories since coming to the UFC, but have questions have remained about his marketability because four of his five octagon battles have gone to the judges' scorecards. He did, however, score an impressive submission over Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at UFC 79.

Silva, meanwhile, has the same 13-0 record as Machida, but has earned a reputation as a finisher, with only one of his fights going to a decision. The 25-year-old most recently defeated Antonio Mendes at UFC 84 after Mendes submitted due to strikes.

UFC 89 will also feature a showdown between Brandon Vera Vs. Keith Jardine and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Vs. Luiz Cane, along with a welterweight bout pitting Marcus Davis against Bisping’s undefeated teammate, Paul Kelly.

UFC 89 MAIN CARD
Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Luiz Cane
Keith Jardine vs. Brandon Vera
Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly
Paul Taylor vs. Chris Lytle

Preliminary Bouts:
Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy
Jess Liaudin vs. David Bielkheden
Sammy Schiavo vs. Per Eklund
Sam Stout vs. Terry Etim
Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain
David Baron vs. Jim Miller

UFC 89 Fight Results

• Michael Bisping def. Chris Leben via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

• Keith Jardine def. Brandon Vera via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

• Luiz Cane def. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 4:15

• Chris Lytle def. Paul Taylor via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

• Marcus Davis def. Paul Kelly via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 2, 2:16

• Dan Hardy def. Akihiro Gono via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

• Shane Carwin def. Neil Wain via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 1:31

• David Bielkheden def. Jess Liaudin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

• Terry Etim def. Sam Stout via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

• Jim Miller def. David Baron via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 3, 3:19

• Per Eklund def. Sammy Schiavo via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 3, 1:47