Bison is my main and honda is my #1 alternate, so i can probably help you here.
Generally being all over him ASAFP every round is a good idea, as you posted. Ticks into ochio from the very start of the round (before he has super meter) are a good way to get damage in early before he can properly reversal out. Jumping short or a well timed standing jab stuffs his psycho crusher. Use HHS chip damage to build super meter early where possible. Buttslam Lots. HK Buttslam into HHS is really tricky for him to deal with from close, you can get a lot of chip damage out of it. HK buttslam is also a good round opener, because it puts the pressure on early and closes distance, which you want to do. MK buttslam’s invincibility is great for interrupting his block strings on wakeup from close.
Be VERY careful of his headstomp. When he’s at full screen distance it’s lightning fast to react to, don’t just sit there low blocking, a landed stomp and a good follow-up will stun you and it’s TOD, game over. If you’re at full screen and he’s spamming st.Jab, as he should be doing to stuff any torpedoes, watch for him moving to crouching jab. This means he’s charging for a stomp or a DR, because st.Jab is a safer option in this scenario unless he’s getting ready to do something else.Mix up jump back short, fierce, and jump back HK to make him afraid to stomp or crusher, and watch out for a fast devil’s reverse baiting you into a move. They look very like headstomps from that distance. He’s hard to close in on on the ground because of his poke game, so you’re looking for an aerial knockdown in a situation like this to give you a chance to close in. If you score a hit out of a headstomp, be ready to get in and close distance straight away.
React to the headstomp in the air where possible, a jumping attack if you predict it, a hi block and an aerial counter attack if you don’t. The last place you want to be is on the ground after bison has done a headstomp, because he has loads of tricky options. Watch out for his crossup off a headstomp. If you try to counterattack from the ground he can make you attack the wrong side, then move, drop at your back, and grab you easily. A fast, hi priority jumping back attack from most characters will deal with a blocked stomp. At worst you’ll usually jump clear of him, at best you’ll beat out his attack or trade in the air. The best way to deal with a stomp though is with a jumping attack if you predict it. Think of it like predictively jumping over ryu’s fireball, if you get a feeling he’s gonna do one, jump forward and be ready with an attack.
If you don’t already use it, practise doing buttslams while keeping your back charge for torpedoes. It’s great to be able to pressure with a slam then go straight into a jab headbutt to stuff a reversal.
If the bison player is any good he won’t throw out Fierce psycho crushers while you’re grounded, they’re only good for distance anti airs in this matchup, and jumping short is your best aerial “safe bet” answer to that tactic. You can use jumping roundhouse in the air if you’re confident it’ll hit though, the hitbox for the crusher is towards the back of it, from about his torso to his knees, so that’s good on a forward jump if he tries to crusher you out of the air. Don’t use up your aerial attack too early in a jump though, don’t commit till you see what he’s gonna do if possible because a lot of his normals will beat yours in the air.If he does use a fierce crusher on you on the ground, block it, let him cross over, and use fierce HHS to knock him down, then jump in on him if you can. Don’t throw out full screen fierce torpedoes. You’re wasting your time, his standing jab will stuff them clean on reaction every time. As regards his air normals, watch out for j.MP especially. It’s a 3xJuggle, and leads to lots of knockdown shenanigans. You’ll probably be dealing with a headstomp wakeup mixup next if he knocks you down with it, so be ready.
Learn the ochio tick games, bear hug follow ups, throw safe jumps, and throw crossups tricks for honda if you don’t already know them, and mix up some of megaman’s crossup combo>HHS>Ochio tricks too. Honda’s j.HK and MK splash are both great meaty crossups and bison is weak in that area.
