UFC 217: The Real Winners and Losers from Bisping vs. GSP | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

We have a new champion in the UFC middleweight division.

That whole "new champion" thing was a theme on Saturday, but we'll get to that a little later.

Georges St-Pierre was supposed to be the victim of a size discrepancy against Michael Bisping. He wasn't.

GSP came out like a house of bricks and then proceeded to go about his business. Bisping was unable to deploy his usual twinkle-toed kickboxing attack, as his legs were spread wide in anticipation of the takedown, thus limiting his mobility. St-Pierre did land a takedown or two in the first round, but to his credit, Bisping was always able to return to his feet within a few seconds. He's good at that.

In the second round, St-Pierre appeared to wane as Bisping seemed to wax. GSP was looking tired, the pop on his punches not there like it was earlier. 

The momentum was swinging toward the Brit. But there's probably no other sport where the momentum swings more quickly than it does in MMA.

Early in the third, GSP was on the ground and inside Bisping's guard when a Bisping elbow slashed GSP wide open. GSP has never expelled as much blood in a pro MMA fight as he did at UFC 217. He continued to slow. 

They got to their feet, and suddenly a St-Pierre left hook found its way through the champ's defense. Bisping hit the floor and GSP followed him. Bisping refused to relent after ground strikes, prompting GSP to scramble around and lock on a rear-naked choke. It was tight. Bisping didn't tap, so he went to sleep.

"It's not about who's got the biggest balls, so to speak," St-Pierre told broadcaster Joe Rogan in the cage after the fight. "It's about who's got the best technique."

He was bland in this fight run-up. It was hard to see if he still had the heart. He has it. Or at least, he had it Saturday night against Bisping. There are a lot of killers in the middleweight division, including interim title holder Robert Whittaker. Bisping was never willing to face any of them. We'll see how St-Pierre proceeds. In the meantime, congratulations to one of the best ever to do it. At UFC 217, he put a big line item on his resume for all-time GOAT in this MMA sport.