UFC Fight Night 72: 5 Fights for Michael Bisping

At 36 years old, Michael Bisping may be considered an ‘elder statesman’ of the sport. Still, that isn’t stopping him from getting key wins when needed to prolong his career. His win over Thales Leites at UFC Fight Night 72 has pushed his current win streak to two straight victories and is enough to keep him ranked in the UFC Top 15 rankings. Looking forward, these are five fight suggestions that will help keep Bisping relevant and in interesting bouts.

Vitor Belfort

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Vitor Belfort is still a valuable opponent for middleweights.

Bisping took little time attacking Vitor Belfort during the post-fight press conference. He paid special attention to losses he’s suffered against opponents who were using the controversial testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Vitor Belfort is one of those individuals who has used the treatment in the past, according to a MMA Junkie report. This would be an interesting matchup for Bisping if they were to face each other in the Octagon again.

Two years have passed since Belfort and Bisping fought on UFC on FX 7. Belfort walked away with the win by dispatching Bisping early in the second round. Since that point in time, Belfort has gone on to challenge for the middleweight title, while Bisping has struggled to regain any momentum. Putting these two men back together in the cage would not only give Bisping the opportunity to avenge this loss, but also it would put two of the best strikers in the middleweight division against each other in an anticipated rematch.

Dan Henderson

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Dan Henderson is a future Hall-of-Famer.

Dan Henderson is another individual who has a known, legal usage of TRT in his legacy, as mentioned by Tim Burke of Bloody Elbow. While a rematch against Bisping wouldn’t do much for getting either man closer to the title, it would rekindle one of the best rivalries the sport has seen.

Henderson and Bisping met at UFC 100 in which both men were coming off of coaching a season of The Ultimate Fighter. While Bisping played the antagonist for much of that season, it would be Henderson who would have the last laugh, as he dropped Bisping with a knockout punch in the second round of their bout. Giving these two another chance to face off, perhaps as a main card attraction for an event scheduled in England, would be a great way to close the book on their rivalry.

Gegard Mousasi

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Gegard Mousasi is often overlooked in the division.

Gegard Mousasi is a quiet force within the UFC’s middleweight division. As the seventh-ranked fighter in the division, Mousasi hasn’t made waves in the organization yet, but that may be attributed to his quiet demeanor and ability to win fights without the flare of some of his colleagues. As he rides a two-fight win streak, he would be an interesting opponent for Bisping at this time in his career.

In order for Bisping to get the title shot that has long eluded him, he needs to collect wins against fighters who have a similar style to his. Mousasi is a talented boxer who uses his jab and footwork to keep opponents fighting at his range and pace. Bisping is a similar fighter but is more aggressive in a way that has caused problems and opened opportunities as well. Placing these two against each other would set up a valuable fight for the winner.

Anderson Silva

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Anderson Silva would be a very interesting opponent for Bisping.

Michael Bisping vs. Anderson Silva may not have the title implications value that it had back in the early 2000s, but it’s still a fight that would capture the fans' attention if properly booked. Both of these individuals are stars in the United States but perhaps bigger names in their home countries. Giving the MMA community Silva vs. Bisping as a main event for a foreign card would immediately draw attention to that show.

Stylistically, putting Silva and Bisping in the cage together would be a strikers’ delight. While Bisping uses more of a boxing basis, Silva has a Muay Thai background that has created some highlight-reel knockouts. It would be interesting to see how Bisping is able to handle Silva’s dynamic counter-striking attack. Both of these men may be in the final chapters of their careers, but this is still a fight that would have cache among most.

Lyoto Machida

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Lyoto Machida is on the down slide but still a dangerous opponent.

Lyoto Machida may not have the titles he once held, but he’s still a dangerous opponent in the middleweight division. He’s coming off of two losses to Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold, but both men are near the top of the group. He’s still been able to defeat many of the lower-ranking fighters trying to use him to springboard into title contention. With that in mind, if Bisping is to ever become the No. 1 contender, he should perhaps go through Machida at some point.

Both Bisping and Machida have strong counter-striking abilities, but Bisping has been more aggressive at times in his career. However, that may not play very well into a strategy against Machida. At the same time, Bisping does have the experience that would allow him to set up opportunities to land on his Brazilian opponent. If he could pull out a win in this fight, Bisping may find himself on the short list of potential title contenders.