UFC formally announces GSP vs. Bisping at MSG

The world's most famous arena has itself a bout worthy of its title.

After both Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping announced they'd be squaring off at UFC 217 on Nov. 4 at Madison Square Garden earlier this month, the promotion finally confirmed on Saturday the pair will be headlining the star-studded card.

St-Pierre, a former welterweight champion, will be returning from a layoff dating back to November 2013 to challenge Bisping for the middleweight crown. The pair were initially targeted to meet at UFC 213 during International Fight Week, only for injuries sustained by both fighters to prompt president Dana White to pull the plug on the matchup.

White later revealed St-Pierre would be challenging for the strap that once graced his waist in his return to the Octagon, a plan White scrapped himself after reigning champ Tyron Woodley submitted a subpar performance in his win over Demian Maia at UFC 214. The incessant developments didn't keep St-Pierre or Bisping from campaigning for the matchup, one that will likely net "The Count" the biggest payday of his 11-year UFC career.

Bisping won the belt with a first-round KO of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 and hasn't fought since defending it in a unanimous decision over Dan Henderson at UFC 204 last October.

The November card will feature a bantamweight title bout between incumbent champ Cody Garbrandt and former titleholder TJ Dillashaw in the co-main event.