Michael Bisping: 3 Potential Fights for Him After His UFC 186 Win

Michael Bisping made a statement Saturday night at UFC 186.

Fresh off a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold, he needed to regain divisional form against a predictable C.B. Dollaway.

With fluent movement, quick strikes, elite ground defense and relentless pressure, Bisping outpointed Dollaway throughout a rather entertaining three-round fight.

It was yet another effort to avoid his first career two-fight losing streak.

In any case, the 36-year-old Brit impressed in a bout that he needed to win—one that dispelled any concerns regarding his potential moving forward within a dangerous weight class.

Here are three fights for Bisping to take next following a near-perfect performance in Montreal.

Winner of Gegard Mousasi vs. Costas Philippou

While Mousasi is the bigger draw out of the two, Philippou is still a relevant mid-tier contender capable of physically imposing his opponent.

A matchup against either middleweight would give Bisping the ammunition he needs to make another run at the Top Five.

Mousasi's laid-back approach would allow The Count to get off early, but he's significantly more well-rounded than Philippou and would probably be the tougher out.

Plus, a bout against the winner of this matchup makes even more sense considering they're fighting in less than one month at UFC Fight Night 66.

Lyoto Machida

As a former light heavyweight champion and middleweight title threat, Machida is the biggest name Bisping could ask for at this point.

Bigger matchups like Tim Kennedy could lure The Dragon away, but Bisping holds enough divisional rapport to make this an easy bet for a co-main event.

Now while Machida possesses the edge over Bisping in almost every category possible, their striking battle would deliver on all cylinders.

The Brit would essentially put himself one or two fights out of title contention should he finish the Brazilian in fashion.

Anderson Silva

This is more of a pipe dream for UFC fans who have always wanted to see Bisping take on Silva, but who knows for sure what's going to happen with The Spider's looming suspension.

If he's able to wiggle his way out of any harsh punishments from the commission, then a matchup with the ultra-confident Brit would make a world of sense.

From what we saw from Silva against Nick Diaz at UFC 183, Bisping stands more of a chance against the Brazilian now then he would have just a few years ago.

It's a nice idea to entertain, but it's a far-fetched option compared to the other two listed above.

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