On two weeks notice, Michael Bisping went from filming a movie in Toronto during his time off between fights, to middleweight champion, when he scored his upset, knockout victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 after stepping in for an injured Chris Weidman.

Now with a full camp, he'll make the first defence of his title in a rematch tantalizing not only for his opponent Dan Henderson, the man that knocked him clean out at UFC 100, as the location, his hometown of Manchester England.

The champion freely admits that stepping into the Octagon for UFC 204 will be vastly different than that night in June when he finally accomplished his dream of winning UFC gold.

"The Rockhold fight I was going in as the challenger, two weeks’ notice so there really wasn’t that much pressure so I figured I would go out there, swing and fingers crossed I got the job done," Bisping told TSN.ca.  "I knew I could do it, but there was no pressure.  Now, that’s all changed, there is pressure now."

"I’m the champion, I want to remain champion and I don’t want to lose to Dan Henderson twice, never mind the belt, the belt is one thing, I don’t want to lose to him twice.  There is more pressure but normally I perform under the pressure, under the spotlight.   Only time will tell, but I’m feeling good."

It's almost perfect that Bisping's first title defence is against Henderson.  The two fighters met at UFC 100 and in what has to be one of the UFC's most replayed moments, Henderson knocked Bisping out cold and finished him on the ground with a flying punch right on the button.

Bisping has been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

"Ever since I found out he was on TRT (testosterone replacement therapy, which was sanctioned at the time) and then he came off TRT I thought ‘I would like to fight that guy again’.  I felt like I was the better fighter at the time and I feel like I’m the better fighter now," said Bisping.  

"He was synthetically enhanced back then and he had an unfair advantage and I think that’s fair to say, he was on testosterone replacement therapy when there was absolutely no reason to be on that.  I’ve always wanted to avenge that loss and get that one back so here we are at UFC 204."

Despite the fact that Bisping believes his 46-year-old opponent is a diminished fighter, he isn't dismissing the punching power that abruptly ended their first encounter, he just believes he's heading into their rematch with a much better plan than the first time they met.

"I’m expecting a tough fight, Dan Henderson has nothing to lose, like me in that Rockhold fight, that makes him dangerous," said Bisping. 

"He’s going to come forward because he has confidence in his power.  He’s going to come forward, he’s going to swing and hope that one of those connects.  I’m assuming that I’m going to have to weather an early storm and I’m going to have to be careful.  He's going to come out swinging hard and fast and try to get the job done quick, as opposed to letting the fight go into the later rounds."

"I’m going to have to be cautious, he still has that knockout power.  That aside, if I avoid that big right hand, I think I’m good, I’ve got this one in the bag."

How in the bag does he believe he has it? The 37-year-old does not see his first title defence even getting to the championship rounds.

"I see a win via TKO in round three, I’m going to drop him with a left hook, he’s going to go down, I’m going to follow it up on the floor and the referee is going to drag me off."

If his prediction is correct, expect to see a very happy and appreciative crowd as it's not hard to imagine a super majority of the fans will be supporting the champion.  Bisping is also looking forward to the chance to perform for his fellow countrymen.

"Manchester is pretty much my hometown, I’m from a little town just outside of Manchester so to be here, the first ever British champion and fighting in pretty much my home city, it’s like a movie, it’s cliché but it’s what childhood dreams are made of," said Bisping.

"I went out there, I fought through ups and downs, won the title and my first defence is in my hometown, in an arena that sold out in six minutes, it’s incredible and I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved and I’m excited for the future and I want to thank everyone that supported me along the way."

One wrinkle to UFC 204 is that despite being held in Manchester, England, the main card will get underway at the usual 10 pm time in the eastern time zone.  That will put the main event sometime in the middle of the morning local time which should make for a very interesting crowd situation.

"It’s going to be crazy, I’m very excited and intrigued for what the atmosphere is going to be like, I’m sure it’s going to be bananas," said Bisping.  "Being that they’re always a rowdy crowd to begin with, at five in the morning I’m expecting some shenanigans, shall we say."

"It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be awesome and I can’t wait.  I’m going to give the people what they came to see and they will not go home disappointed."