• UFC 120

Dazed Leben warns Bisping of Akiyama's power

ESPN staff
July 15, 2010
Chris Leben refused to be denied against Yoshihiro Akiyama © UFC
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Chris Leben has warned Michael Bisping that Yoshihiro Akiyama has serious power in both hands, admitting he got rocked badly by the Judoka at UFC 116.

Leben produced arguably the performance of his career to defeat Akiyama with 20 seconds remaining of their middleweight bout, yet he left the Octagon believing he had secured a solid second-round victory. Only Anderson Silva has managed to knock Leben out in 27 fights, yet Akiyama came mightily close when he buckled The Crippler in Las Vegas.

Akiyama is now expected to headline UFC 120 against Britain's Michael Bisping in October, and Leben knows both men well after he dropped a decision to Bisping at UFC 89. Back then, Bisping landed a record number on punches on Leben but did not rock him, whereas the American admits he most definitely lost control of his senses against the Japanese.

"Leaving the Octagon walking back, I turned to my coach, Burton Richardson, and said, 'What was that, about halfway through the second round I finished him?'" Leben told The Daily Line.

"He said, 'No, Chris, you had about 20 seconds left in the third.' That's a sign, definitely, I was rocked.

"I really don't remember a lot of the fight after the second round. It's kind of a blur. I had a chance to go back and watch it yesterday, and definitely, my knees buckled, my legs gave, it was just one of those things where every time I get hit I wonder if I can hang on. I hung on, but he rocked me, for sure."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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