GSP chokes Bisping out, wins UFC middleweight title in return

What four-year layoff?

Georges St-Pierre made a triumphant return in his first fight since November 2013 at Saturday's UFC 217, where he put Michael Bisping to sleep with a rear-naked choke in the third round of the main event to win the middleweight crown at Madison Square Garden.

In addition to becoming only the fourth two-division champion in promotional history on a night that saw three new champions crowned, the former welterweight king tied Bisping for the most wins in UFC history with 20, and extended the winning run he'd put on hold to a baker's dozen fights. Bisping, on the other hand, graciously handled the second submission loss of his 38-fight career - this, after relentlessly trashing St-Pierre in the lead-up to the fight - and maintained he wouldn't be hanging up his gloves just yet during his postfight interview.

St-Pierre relinquished the welterweight strap following a close split decision win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167, and looked like his well-rounded self in a fight he and Bisping had delayed for months due to injury, after GSP had agreed to return to the Octagon on a four-fight deal early this year.

The 36-year-old took the center of the cage and pumped his vaunted jab as Bisping appeared uncharacteristically gun shy in Round 1, which he closed with a Superman jab and a wheel kick that didn't inflict much damage, but had the Brit retreating and those in attendance clutching their hearts out of sheer nostalgia.

While GSP managed to take Bisping down to the mat in each of the first two frames, the defending champ refused to stay pinned there and ended the second stanza strong as he settled into a rhythm on the feet.

An apparently tiring St-Pierre opened the third with a takedown, only for Bisping to cut him open with elbows from his back that had the Quebec native's head dripping crimson. But after Bisping fought his way up to his feet, GSP sent him back to the canvas - this time with a counter left hook - and followed up with his patented ground-and-pound. The Brit gave up his back while trying to defend the onslaught, only for St-Pierre to slap on a rear-naked choke that sent him to dreamland and crowned GSP middleweight king at the 4:23 mark.

Saturday's defeat snapped a five-fight win streak for Bisping, whose reign as the UFC's first British champion ends with one successful title defense over Dan Henderson.