LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 05: Michael Bisping looks on as he is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame during the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Induction Ceremony inside The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort on July 5, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Since officially retiring in May 2018, Michael Bisping has become one of the top MMA analysts in the sport. So much so that he is taking home FanSided MMA’s 2019 Analyst of the Year honors.

It isn’t unheard of for athletes to move on to a career in color commentating after their retirement from their chosen profession. In fact, it happens more often than one might expect.

When Michael Bisping retired from the sport of MMA in May 2018, leaving behind a career that consisted of bloody wars, heated rivalries, dream match-ups, and eventually world titles, it was almost an unspoken certainty that the man who had given so much to the sport would soon be contributing in another way.

Bisping, who had served as an analyst on FOX Sports for quite a while, announced in Dec. 2018 on his ‘Believe You Me’ podcast that he would now be part of the color commentating team for future UFC events.

So when the UFC made it’s move to ESPN in 2019, the commentary team brought along the retired UFC legend to join them.

With an obviously high fight IQ and a tremendous passion for the sport, Bisping has provided some of the most exciting and technically sound commentating for UFC events over the past year.

We’ve even seen the fighter reemerge in Bisping immediately following the UFC Mexico City debacle where fans threw items towards the Octagon after the fight was stopped 15 seconds in due to an accidental eye poke.

While fellow commentator Brandon Fitzgerald took cover under the commentary table, Bisping took his fight stance as he turned and faced the angry Mexico City crowd stating “I’m pretty sure I just got Modelo’d in the face.” Bisping would even pull out his iPhone and record the crowd as well as Fitzgerald.

Although Bisping has just wrapped up his first year in color commentating, his combination of toughness, knowledge and his ability to break down fights to the most minute detail, has quickly solidified him amongst fans as one of the top commentators in the game, also making him a worthy recipient of FanSided MMA’s 2019 Analyst of the Year honors.

Bisping earned a massive 70 percent of the fan vote this year, as well.