Anyone else think Rivera can win this?

Rivera is not going to lay down. He will trade with Bisping, he is not a small middleweight, and he's very experienced.

I know Bisping will be the favorite but I think Rivera can win.

I think Bisping is the better striker overall. Bisping may actually decide to shoot in if he needs to. Rivera best bet would be to land a big shot. I would expect Bisping can decision Rivera standing or possibly get a GnP stoppage. 

It's a matchup I didn't expect, that's for sure. 

I suspect the UFC is hoping that Bisping can get over with the Australian audience and pick up a nice looking win.  Bisping wants to earn a title shot and the UFC could probably do awesome business with such a fight in the UK.  Problem is if you put Bisping against one of the other top contenders he'll be an underdog and probably have those plans derailed. So if Bisping beats Rivera they can try and claim Rivera was a credible top opponent and rush him into an easily marketable title shot. If Rivera wins they use the feel-good story since he's such a great guy, and do... something.

http://mmaweekly.com/jorge-riveras-camp-is-happy-to-fight-michael-bisping-if-hes-man-enough

Jorge Rivera may have missed out on the chance to fight at UFC 122, but he’s looking forward already to a potential match-up against Michael Bisping at UFC 127 in February.

That’s if Bisping accepts the fight.

The possibility of the fight was first reported by Kimura.se who spoke with Rivera following UFC 122 in Germany. Now there appears to be some doubt coming from Rivera’s camp whether or not the fight will actually take place.

Speaking to MMAWeekly.com on Sunday, Rivera’s manager Lex McMahon of Alchemist Management stopped just short of calling Bisping a coward, and said the fight may not happen.

“UFC likes the fight, we like the fight, but I don’t think Bisping is man enough to fight Jorge,” McMahon said in a text message on Sunday. “He has no warrior spirit, he knows Jorge will break his will and crush him.”

Nah I think Bisping picks him apart, if the fight actually happens.

i say bisbing gets knocked out late in the first

This is one of those fights where I could see Rivera doing everything he says he's going to do, but I could also see him setting himself up for a counter-punch KTFO from Bisping. I know Bisping isn't known for his power or finishing ability against top competition, but Rivera has a questionable chin if hit cleanly, and Bisping is definitely the more technical striker and does seem to be sitting down on his punches a bit more than he did two years ago.

Bisping all day, everyday and twice on Saturdays in Australia... Seriously though, I expect Bisping to pick him apart in this fight. Rivera's chin is about to get tested. Bisping will get the decision or a late 2nd or 3rd round TKO. 

@thebestevah: Agreed, but I'm hoping to see a solid KO from Bisping rather than the occasional accumulated TKO.

I have Rivera winning this one ... he's going to come forward like Henderson did and Bisping is not going to react well to it and get caught with a brutal right hand