Michael Bisping, a former UFC champion, has disclosed that he fought and won a UFC title despite being blind in one eye. He admitted to deceiving medical professionals during vision tests to get clearance to compete.
Bisping`s eye problems began after a head kick from Vitor Belfort in 2013, which caused a detached retina. Despite multiple surgeries to repair the damage, Bisping has been legally blind in his right eye for years and now uses a prosthetic cover.
The detached retina from the Belfort fight was just the beginning of his eye issues. Bisping shared on his YouTube channel that during training for a fight against Mark Munoz, he re-detached his retina while sparring.
Following another surgery, Bisping developed glaucoma, further damaging his optic nerve and potentially leading to complete blindness. In total, he underwent six or seven eye surgeries. After one of the later surgeries, he received the news that he had lost sight in that eye permanently.
Despite this devastating news, Bisping never considered retiring from fighting.
“The day after surgery, I learned I would never see out of that eye again,” Bisping explained. “However, I was still able to continue fighting. I won`t go into all the specifics of how, but I had to lie a lot and cheat on many tests. It was incredibly stressful.”
Vision tests are mandatory for all fighters before competition. Bisping described how he managed to bypass these requirements after losing sight in one eye.
“I remember an eye test with an elderly Indian doctor in England who believed I was genuinely getting my vision checked,” Bisping recounted. “I used to memorize the eye charts. To pass, you only needed 20/200 vision, which is just the large letter at the top and the two below it on a traditional chart.”
“During the test, the doctor covered my bad eye and asked what I could see. I recited the memorized letters and, without changing the chart, I pretended I could only see those first few lines. He passed me, warning me to be careful because damage to my good eye would result in total blindness. I acknowledged his concern but didn`t truly heed it.”
Bisping continued to find ways to pass these eye exams, even before his most significant fight against Luke Rockhold, where he won the UFC middleweight title by knockout.
“I was determined to fight, so I had to overcome doctors, tests, and everything else,” Bisping said. “Fortunately, I was able to deceive people, take advantage of kind doctors.”
“Leaving the doctor’s office in England after passing a test was a moment of triumph. It meant I could continue my career, provide for my family, and ultimately become a world champion. I am very proud of this accomplishment, especially knowing I achieved it with only one working eye.”
While fighting, Bisping was primarily focused on getting cleared to compete. However, as he transitioned to a career in television, he realized the need to address the appearance of his non-functioning eye.
This led him to get a prosthetic eye cover, which he still uses today. The hand-painted lens makes his eye appear functional, but in reality, he has been blind in his right eye for many years.
