CLITHEROE cage fighter Michael Bisping bounced back to victory last night - and he couldn’t be happier.

After a second round defeat of veteran fighter Denis Kang with some vicious ground and pound the Brit told Ultimate Fighting Championship analyst Joe Rogan: “I am absolutely over the moon.

“You have no idea how I felt after the last fight.”

In July Bisping, 30, suffered a brutal knock-out, only the second defeat of his mixed martial arts career, at the hands of Dan Henderson.

A win against his opposing coach on reality show The Ultimate Fighter would have secured Bisping a shot at the middleweight championship title.

But the loss - and subsequent criticism that he was overrated - clearly affected the dad-of-two’s confidence.

Last night however, at the MEN arena, he came out looking like he meant business and determined to set the record straight.

After a shaky first round, with Kang knocking Bisping to the floor, he regained his composure and showed the home town fans the Bisping of old.

The second round saw him take the Canadian down three times and demonstrate his vicious ground and pound to clinch the victory at four minutes and 24 seconds.

The win also earned him Fight of the Night.

“To say I’m happy is an understatement,” he said after the win which took his record to 19-2. “The pressure I have felt has been unbelievable. A few losses and you’re out of UFC.

“This is my passion and my dream.

“This is my life and I dedicate everything to it. And it really hurts me that people don’t give me the respect I think I deserve.”

Bisping admitted he had been nervous before the fight but that he had felt comfortable once inside the Octagon.

Of the knockdown he said: “I couldn’t believe it.

“But I felt pretty comfortable. I was going to scramble to my feet, but I had a look at the clock and knew I had lost the round.

“I thought I would save it for the second round. I was confident I had taken his best shot.

“I felt comfortable in the fight. I was never in any danger of being submitted or anything.

“I have a good ground and pound and I feel I showed that in the fight.

“He’s a top opponent and I took him out nicely.”

Speaking about his loss to Henderson he added: “I apologise to all my fans for the last fight.

“It was just a setback. I’m going back to the old Michael Bisping. The one you saw tonight.

“I’m very happy with my performance.

“I can’t put into words the pressure that was lifted from me.”