I think Michael Bisping is just an average but persistent (and lucky) fighter who became champ

[Significance Deficit]

He has the right style to do well into his later years. His conditioning will never be an issue, he has great defensive grappling and a volume heavy approach on the feet that isn't too dependent on any physical attributes. On top of that, he learned to start sitting down on his shots once in a while. That seemed to come with age and him giving less of a fuck. It also might have something to do with increased confidence post-USADA, but it's not like the same Bisping who fought Mayhem is the one who beat Silva and Rockhold. It was more than persistence and his only luck came when Weidman dropped out of the Rockhold rematch. Other than that, he earned everything he has and he's still getting better.

 

[Jonny Ninja]

Basically right place right time he had always lost the chance to fight for the belt in the past.

He lost 3 eliminators to guys that were legally juicing through TRT excemption! An unfair advantage in each fight! I’d say he’s been pretty unlucky in all honesty

 

[mangokush]

Bisping is the MW GOAT currently under USADA.

Had USADA been around in the beginning of Bisping's career his record would be 31-3-4NC.

Fights against Hendo 1, Belfort, Sonnen and Wand would be a NC due to steroids and TRT under USADA.

USADA has established a level playing field and a clean fighter like Bisping has finally become a defending champion.

Prevailed against Hendo in a rematch who still carried his TRT infused KO Power due to years of TRT usage but USADA era Bisping fought against the tyranny of TRT in a Fight of the Night performance and won the fight which is a little bit of justice for clean fighters.

The best clean MW in the UFC.

 

[BryanTheFighter]

It's unfair that he KOd the reigning champion and at the time P4P #3 and became a champion himself? No, I don't think anyone with a working brain would agree.

and then defended the belt against #13 ranked dude? Not accepting an immediate rematch.
And then accepting a fight against a WW who is basically 0-0 in MW.

There are a couple of top11-15 guys in UFC MW that would beat Bisping?


Are you fucking kidding me?

Bisping is a top5-15 ranked MW journeymen, if it was not for a tremendously high level of arrogance of Rockhold that day that opened for those lucky shots

 

[theTKDguy]

You think ts?

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

I see where TS is coming from, though I think he overstates the case. Bisping is much better than average. He consistently beats average fighters and good fighters. One might say he is very good. But somehow, even as champ, it's hard to shake the idea that he is a notch below the true elite fighters.

He did KO Rockhold though and then roughed him up verbally at the post fight press conference. Can't take anything away from that.

 

[ChachiKiller]

Dude popped Hammils elbow in practice4 because he knew he could not beat him. Then a boat load of finger pokes, ball kicks and knees to downed opponents (who most were not even in the top 20). He was in the UFC for 10 years before he made a title run but it wasn't really a title run was it? Most fighters make a run and hit it or multiple. It is not persistence but the fact that he was allowed to play in the shallow end to approach the European market. Machida came in after him and will less fanfare and won the belt (even with them busting his balls for being boring and dragging it on), fought against JJ and gave him his first losing round, entered 185 and moved up to fight Weidman. That is a proper 10 year span. It isnt tenacity which I keep hearing, he was either knowingly not fighting better talent because they knew he sucked or he did. He stayed top 10-15 for many years. That is not how it is suposed to work. It is a carousel. I did get better but we would not survive the top 5.

He never beat a top five person, fights a wacky Anderson who looked constipated with that new shit he was trying to use.

In 20-30 years people might forget but this stuff just happened. Not today!

 

[Andy]

Why does McGregor get shit for not defending a belt for a year but Bisping doesn't?

 

[octagon888]

He gained the championship by being ready to scrap at all times, toughness and determination.

That was always his game, so in that sense he wasn't 'lucky' he just never stopped trying.

But yeah, he was always fringe top 10 guy.

And it's sad to watch his 'anyone' shtick disappear, displaced by 'money fights' but this seems to be the trend now.

I think he deserves the large payday

 

[2DUM2TAP]

if they fight 100 times Rockhold wins 96 of them.

They fought three times and Bisping has won two of them.
Sparring, fight 1, and fight 2.

 

[Karelinator]

I think he deserves the large payday

Meh, he was collecting large paydays his whole career, for being Mr.Britain. Way, way larger than any other fighter of his caliber. He made a bank in UFC.

He doesn't deserve shit here, in fact other fighters deserve shot at the title and bigger $$$.