5 UFC title fights that must happen in 2017 to restore legitimacy to the UFC

#4 Michael Bisping vs Yoel Romero

A victory against Dan Henderson is well and good, but sterner challenges await

The chief protagonist in one of the UFC’s ongoing feel-good narratives, Michael Bisping has his work cut out in order to prevent his fairytale run as Middleweight Champion from souring opinions in the MMA fraternity.

While the majority of fans rejoiced the culmination of his life’s work when he pulled off an unheralded victory over former Champion Luke Rockhold, Bisping’s run as Champion hasn’t really kindled too much good-will or satisfaction since.

Eking past a 46-year old Dan Henderson doesn’t really count as a credible title defence in the estimation of many, despite the history between the two ensuring that their fight wouldn’t lack any marketing incentive.

Bisping could have skived off on the Henderson fight, stating that the top contender pool in the Middleweight division – devoid of a clear-cut frontrunner – was still in a state of flux, but he surely can’t keep citing that as an out after Yoel Romero finished Chris Weidman at UFC 205 to engineer some breathing room for himself at the top.

While Luke Rockhold and Jacare Souza will battle it out to determine who is next in line, Bisping should defend his belt against Romero meanwhile.

Although the idea of a potential ‘superfight’ against a returning Georges St. Pierre has been floated repeatedly, one can agree that Michael Bisping is duty-bound to deal with the shark infested waters of the Middleweight division first, before gleaning enough legitimacy in the fans’ eyes to even entertain that thought.