Michael Bisping vs Thales Leites — Fight recap

Michael Bisping won a split decision over Thales Leites in their five-round middleweight bout on July 18, 2015, in a striking-heavy affair where volume and accuracy proved decisive. Bisping landed 115 significant strikes at 41% accuracy compared to Leites's 79 at 40%, establishing himself as the busier striker throughout the contest.

Leites secured one takedown from four attempts and controlled the cage for 58 seconds versus Bisping's 35, but those advantages proved insufficient to overcome the Brit's superior striking output, particularly his 73 head strikes to Leites's 49. The split decision reflected the competitive nature of the fight, with judges weighing Bisping's offensive volume against Leites's defensive wrestling and control time.

The result solidified Bisping's position in the middleweight rankings and demonstrated his ability to win in a contested, low-finish affair against a technical opponent.