This is the tale of how wimpy 5ft 11ins AND THREE QUARTERS metrosexual me, somehow became good pals with one of my heroes! His name is UFC Mixed Martial Artist Michael Bisping, LET THE BROMANCE story begin! ;D

It is not very often you get to become friends with one of your heroes in life, but I have.  Michael Bisping is from Clitheroe, England, and for those who are unaware he is very big news over in the States. Well that said, he’s big news here too but across the pond I reckon more people would recognise him in the street.  This is because he has been the number one UK Mixed Martial Artist for years, and currently he fights in the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship all over the world.

As a sport mixed martial arts has an ever growing fanbase in the UK and Mike has been at the very forefront of this growth.  The UFC owes a lot to Mike in my opinion, he came just at the right time for them.  He has always been a very talented fighter but it is his cocky northern English demeanor that has always made him stand-out from his fellow competitors.  Charismatic, funny and engaging to listen too, he’s like the John McEnroe of Mixed Martial Arts ha ha.  It makes me chuckle to think how him and me have become good mates…..I think it’s because NOBODY CAN RESIST THE SCARFY SENSE OF HUMOUR ;D (I’m @Scarfman_ on twitter…thought I best explain that joke).

I first came across Mike whilst channel hopping with the remote once, back in 2006.  I ended up putting the Bravo channel on and there was this programme just starting called The Ultimate Fighter 3.  I was intrigued because it seemed to be a some kind of ‘fighting reality TV show’.  I say intrigued because I have always been a massive sports fan. As soon as I could walk which was from around the age of 6(always been a late developer ha ha ha), no, ever since I can remember Dad had me playing cricket and kicking a football out in back garden. I have been a big boxing fan for years too, love physical combat sports.  Years ago I used to get up in the middle of night like a madman to watch Ricky Hatton and Lennox Lewis fight for World Titles over on in the States.  I can still remember now that amazing night when my fellow Mancunian Ricky Hatton beat Kosta Tszyu to become world champion.  I therefore very quickly started to enjoy watching my very first episode of the The Ultimate Fighter 3 series. I recognised Ken Shamrock(he was a Team Coach) from my wrestling days(watching I mean ha ha) and it quickly became apparent there was a Brit on the show who I could cheer for, namely one Mr Michael Bisping!

As the time went on I really became hooked on watching the The Ultimate Fighter 3 each week. Slowly but surely I was educating myself upon this new sport, which up to that point I had never really come across that much. At first I must admit I thought it might be a bit too violent for me but then I came to realise just how skilled and dedicated these fighters really were.  Mike was hilarious on the show. I can remember this clip where Dana White(President of the UFC and show presenter) asked the fighters what was the first thing they were going to do once back home? Mike in his broad northern English accent chirped up something like, “I CAN GIVE YOU ONE GOOD GUESS”(alluding to a bit of rumpy pumpy with the missus) ha ha, it made me really laugh.  You know when a person tries too hard to be funny and therefore it isn’t, Mike on the other hand is just a naturally funny guy.

Mike ended up winning the show and so I soon became completely hooked on the sport. Looking back now, I really liked Mike and instantly felt an automatic connection with him because he is from a part of England near where I am from.  I was born in Manchester and live a stones throw away from the City Centre, not a million miles away from Mike’s hometown of Clitheroe.  This means I completely get his sense of humour, it’s all about piss taking and not taking yourself too seriously.  I think a lot of American UFC fans didn’t get him at first because they thought he was being serious and cocky all the time when instead he was just ‘having a laugh’.  I have always supported other UK fighters in the UFC but when watching them I have never been able to conjure up those same feelings of care and pride that I feel when Mike fights.  I soon started talking to the great man after his TUF 3 triumph.  I therefore stopped just seeing Mike merely as this lethal hard man with balls of steel, I started to care about him as a person and also as a mate.

I first had a conservation with him when I wrote something on his website not long after him winning TUF3.  It was cordial, nothing overly friendly but it was clear to him I hope that I was a supportive fan. I can also remember how after one of Mike’s victorious fights his young son Callum(young back then) entered the Octagon and they shared a very moving exchange with one another.  I can recollect writing on his website how this had scene had really moved me, what with me being a big sensitive softie and all ha ha.  I  shared some banter with one of his mates who looked after his website, he too had been really moved at seeing these post-fight celebrations between father and son.

When Michael came on twitter we started following one another and chatting a bit. I then had the opportunity to go and meet him once at signing he was doing at the HMV store in Manchester City Centre.  Looking back now I do cringe at how I acted but in my defence it was about four to five years ago. I do not know what came over me but I acted like a very nervous teeny bopper, like a ten yr old One Direction fan ha ha.  When I started talking hardly anything came out of my mouth and when it did it was complete gibberish  My hands were shaking, thus my phone was shaking, I think upon witnessing this bizarre site in front him Mike nearly called the St John Ambulance for me….ha ha ha. I was chuffed to have met him in person but gees wiz I felt like a right pillock once I had got back home, you have to laugh though!

Since that time at HMV, Mike and me via twitter have become really good mates.  I like to think I am his unofficial SCARF AND COMEDY COACH(unpaid too I should add ha ha).  No, I can’t exactly put my finger on how we’ve become such good pals, it has kind of just happened I guess.  I really love a laugh and a joke and so really send myself up on twitter, so think it’s partly due to that(excuse the BIGHEAD ha ha).  A taxi driver once told me his fellow drivers referred to me as ‘DEL BOY'(the fictional larger than life character off the classic UK sit-com Only Fools and Horses).  I loved that because it’s my favourite TV show. I get my extrovert characteristics from the late Harold Lloyd God bless him(known also as my Dad).  I feel that comfortable with Mike now that we constantly take the mickey out of one another and I really like this fact.  I do think to myself sometimes though, ‘you’re taking the piss here out of a man who fights for a living’ ha, but it doesn’t stop me because it’s all in the name of comedy.  I just talk and laugh and joke with him like I do with my other ‘non fighting’ mates, and I think he likes that. ie it help keeps him grounded ha ha ha. I remember a tweet from him once that started with, “I have a bone to pick with you….”. I took a BIG GULP and then upon reading further on was mightily relieved that he was just moaning about a book I’d told him to read……PHEW hahaha.

Another thing that makes me chuckle is that I am now friends with his lovely wife and his Mother-in-law, I feel like part of the family  ha ha ha ha.  To be serious for a second, both of these ladies are really lovely and I have loved getting to know them, via the power that is twitter.  His wife Rebecca is like a younger sister/agony Aunt to me ha, and his Mother-in-law is like my second Mum, or perhaps maybe my 3rd or 4th Mum. I currently have complicated health issues that I am trying to overcome and both of these women have been so lovely and supportive to me over this.  Mike has too I should add but there is no humour in being ill so I tend to only do the wisecracks and MMA talk with Bispingy, as I like to affectionately call him ha ha!

There we have it then, I just thought I would share this lovely bromance story with you all, between a fighter and wimp………..I’m the wimp ha ha.  Do not let anybody tell you that you can not become friends with one of your heroes in life.  I HAVE BECOME FRIENDS WITH ONE OF MINE AND HIS NAME IS MICHAEL ‘THE COUNT’ BISPING!