Michael Bisping finally gets elusive UFC title shot in place of injured Chris Weidman

Michael Bisping has been one of the top contenders in the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight division for the better part of a decade without ever getting a title shot.

That will change on June 4.

Bisping will step in for an injured Chris Weidman to challenge champion Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC 199 in Inglewood, California. UFC president Dana White announced the fight Wednesday morning on Twitter.

Weidman, the former champion, was forced to pull out of the scheduled rematch on Tuesday due to herniated discs.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza would have likely been next in line after a first-round knockout win over Vitor Belfort at UFC 198 in Brazil last week, but he will require surgery on a meniscus injury.

So Bisping will get the title shot he has worked toward since winning Season 3 of “The Ultimate FIghter” in 2006. He dropped to middleweight in 2008 and won his first three fights before losing a No. 1 contender bout to Dan Henderson at UFC 100 in 2009.

Bisping, who now lives in Southern California, then won five of his next six fights before dropping another No. 1 contender bout to Chael Sonnen in 2012.

He has won his last three fights since a submission loss to Rockhold on a card in Sydney, Australia, in November 2014. Bisping is coming off a unanimous decision victory over former champion Anderson Silva in February.

Rockhold claimed the belt with a fourth-round knockout of Weidman in December. He has five consecutive, finishing all five opponents.

UFC 199 also features a bantamweight title bout between Urijah Faber and champion Dominick Cruz.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj