...possibly more than any fighter I can ever recall. Can you guys think of any others I might be missing?
Rockhold's (and to some extent Weidman's) recent acts and excuses in Bisping's own MW division has helped some, but it's also in large part been by his own actions.
I really don't recall another "fighter likeability" turnaround like this. Do any of you?
Because his story is inspirational. We've seen the guy get kicked off the horse violently, suffering some of the toughest defeats on the way to the belt.
There are asterisks on a couple of those losses too.
It's all about how he never gave up, never stopped believing in himself and his perseverant pursuit of the belt.
There really are only positives to be said of a guy that never gives up on a goal as difficult as winning a UFC belt, especially when he had been grinding for 10+ years with the odds literally stacked against him.
Then he won the belt on the perfect night. In his surrogate American backyard, with much of his family there(some of them probably scared and second guessing his career choice) and he won the belt over Luke Rockhold, an arrogant 5-1+ favorite that said he was going to ruin his other eye.
It's only working because of the presence of a bigger asshole in Luke Rockhold. 
Animal Mother - It's only working because of the presence of a bigger asshole in Luke Rockhold.
Somewhat.
It has a lot to do with his resurgence lately in the face of crushing defeat.
Most fighters would retire/quit in the face of that type of adversity.
The mental approach that he displayed is something that is very rare, he is a true World Champion.
Nope.
I respect and give him his due props but I still don't like him. Don't hate him either. He's just there, yaknow. He's there. 
I used to not stomach Bisping at all, start with his hometown robbery of matt hamil, but over the years he grew on me, and I really wanted to see Anderson give him a shot just out of the work he put in with the loyalty to it. robbed against Chael Sonnen, who you knew would get the shot when if it went to decision to set up a rematch in which Chael had no realistic shot.But Glad he finally got his shot, avenged a loss, and be hard to put it in a better time story/drama wise. he's had to live with the hendo gif for a long time now, and that is the perfect fight that needs to be made next.
I didn't like him at all early in his career and didn't think much of his abilities. I started coming around when i saw how he really wasn't afraid to fight anyone and always believed in himself. He always hung tough no matter how a fight was going. I think if the fight against Chael would have been a five-rounder he would have tko'ed Chael in the fourth as Chael looked totally exhausted and he would have gotten his title shot then. His bad attitude and trash talk towards his opponents just appears to be part of him getting riled up for the fight. He actually seems like a fairly likeable guy otherwise. Congrats on the belt Mike you earned it!
Jacinto - I didn't like him at all early in his career and didn't think much of his abilities. I started coming around when i saw how he really wasn't afraid to fight anyone and always believed in himself. He always hung tough no matter how a fight was going. I think if the fight against Chael would have been a five-rounder he would have tko'ed Chael in the fourth as Chael looked totally exhausted and he would have gotten his title shot then. His bad attitude and trash talk towards his opponents just appears to be part of him getting riled up for the fight. He actually seems like a fairly likeable guy otherwise. Congrats on the belt Mike you earned it!Good post, VU
I
LIKE
MIKE
I'm not really sure where all the love is coming from actually. Luke is a dick but Bisping repeatedly trashed him at the press conference as well. Being gifted numerous decisions and opportunities for 10 years doesn't and acting like a child isn't the lind of backdrop that exemplifies struggling through crushing adversity.
Thingading - ...possibly more than any fighter I can ever recall. Can you guys think of any others I might be missing?
Rockhold's (and to some extent Weidman's) recent acts and excuses in Bisping's own MW division has helped some, but it's also in large part been by his own actions.
I really don't recall another "fighter likeability" turnaround like this. Do any of you?
Nick Diaz was disliked pretty badly at one point but people grew to respect and like him.
I'll never bet against Bisping again, lol. glances at new sig name
Animal Mother - It's only working because of the presence of a bigger asshole in Luke Rockhold.
agree... and the amazing thing about luke, is that unlike connor or bisping who turn up the jerk dial while promoting, luke is just being himself and, oho, is he unlikable!!! he makes johhny manziel look like a great guy in comparison...
glassjawed - I'm not really sure where all the love is coming from actually. Luke is a dick but Bisping repeatedly trashed him at the press conference as well. Being gifted numerous decisions and opportunities for 10 years doesn't and acting like a child isn't the lind of backdrop that exemplifies struggling through crushing adversity.This...
But lately I just don't mind the guy. That interview he did the other day talking about his kids saying he was gonna lose.... He was just being himself and came off hilarious.
But I'm a fan of rockhold cuz of his fighting ability. Dudes a cocky asshole because he's that good. Who really gives a shit? People would like jones more if he would just embrace it and be the cocky asshole that everyone knows he is. I don't like jones because he acts holier than thou even though he comes off like a cunt
I think his work on UFC Tonight with Florian, Cormier, Cruz & Stann has also helped.
It has given him more exposure and a chance for fans to see him not only right before or after a fight, where of course he is going to be emotional.
He makes fun of himself all the time on the show, while also reminding people how good he is, but not in a d-bag sort of way. He also gets good jabs in on the guys he works with and other fighters.
It mostly has to do with people are so thankful for giving douche Rockhold a bully beatdown. No one likes a douche guy.
CRE -Animal Mother - It's only working because of the presence of a bigger asshole in Luke Rockhold.
Somewhat.
It has a lot to do with his resurgence lately in the face of crushing defeat.
Most fighters would retire/quit in the face of that type of adversity.
The mental approach that he displayed is something that is very rare, he is a true World Champion.
The thing with Bisping is everyone generally just knew him as the English asshole with the big mouth from TUF. He kept winning and winning, until he lost. The thing is he has always been a good fighter, but an even bigger asshole.
When he got smashed by Dan Henderson, that was the ultimate defeat for him, and he started to be less of a cocksucker after that. People kind of forgot about him being such a dick.
Once Bisping made it into the commentary, people got to see that Bisping is not simply a dick. He's actually a pretty bright guy, who's incredibly knowledgeable about MMA.
I also think his time watching and analyzing fights led him to be realistic about his own weaknesses, but he also recognized that he could be champion eventually if he took good care of his body and got the right opportunity. He didn't abuse steroids and mess himself up, which is why at his age he's able to beat much younger guys.
He hung around, remained more humble, then a bigger dickhead eclipsed him. Rockhold became the villian with the smug bullshit, and as champion gave Bisping an opportunity to fight him. Bisping, knowing he's got nothing to lose, everything to gain, recognized if he brought his best he could beat Rockhold.
I also believe Bisping's trash talk helped as well. He's so good at it, and is generally usually right when he's making a point, that he was able to rationalize to himself why he legitimately had a shot to win. He gave himself confidence by having the right, positive conversations about his chances and about Rockhold's limitations. It was never as one-sided as everyone thought, and he knew it.
One Bisping showed everyone that he could go from the Hendo loss to staying in the mix and beating Rockhold, after losing to Rockhold before, that automatically means you have to respect him and appreciate what he's done. It also helps that Rockhold was a bigger dick than Bisping. If Bisping were to fight Hendo in a title defense, I think because Hendo is a good guy it would mean most people would go back to rooting against Bisping, especially if he decided to promote the right by being a dickhead to Hendo.
The likability of a fighter can sometimes be entirely situational and having little to do with objectivity, it can just be purely an emotional decision.
I love the American fans for taking to Bisping.
He's a fighter through and through and they recognise that.
Thingading - I think his work on UFC Tonight with Florian, Cormier, Cruz & Stann has also helped.Agreed. Casts him in a totally different light, and is where I actually started liking him more and more. Couldn't stand him years ago. He seems like a decent dude though.
It has given him more exposure and a chance for fans to see him not only right before or after a fight, where of course he is going to be emotional.
He makes fun of himself all the time on the show, while also reminding people how good he is, but not in a d-bag sort of way. He also gets good jabs in on the guys he works with and other fighters.
I think stepping up on 2 weeks notice to fight a guy that beat his ass definitely helped a lot. Luke was so disrespectful too with his predictions and comments. Good for Bisping.
I think a lot of the hate, amongst the old-timers here, is due in part to his fanboys back in the mid-late 2000's... explodingboy and heartbrokenlee were insufferable. I honestly think he caught a lot of hate specifically because of these guys, here on the UG. The Jorge Rivera fight didn't help him, either.
His workmanship and talent on the mic has won me over, though. By his own admission at the presser last night, he's grown up in the octagon.
It's hard not to root for an underdog that's all fired up, too. He really sold that fight last night.
Guy deserves a lot of credit for hanging in there this long. Most other guys that have been around as long as he has are mere ghosts of their old selves (Diego, Rashad, Lauzon, and we saw Cole Miller last night).