Chris Weidman has a few things to scratch off his bucket list before he hangs up the gloves.
‘The All American’ is still up and at it fifteen years after he started his professional career in Atlantic City. This week, Weidman returns to the place where it all began for him as he makes the walk to his next UFC fight against Bruno Silva.
A win in AC would be a testament to Weidman’s trials and tribulations as everything changed for him in 2021. While fighting Uriah Hall, Weidman broke his leg after throwing a kick. It was a long road to recovery for the nasty injury but Weidman finally came back last August, suffering a leg-kicking loss to Brad Tavares.
After his fight with Bruno Silva on Saturday, the former UFC Middleweight Champion likes the idea of running it back with another ‘Silva’, this time outside of the Octagon.
“I love the UFC. I think I have 2 fights left in my deal. We’ll see,” Weidman told Daniel Cormier, regarding free agency. “Listen, a big win over Bruno Silva this weekend because of everything I’ve accomplished. It could allot me some big opportunities inside the UFC. I love the UFC. But, obviously there’s boxing matches out there who are making a lot of money. I wouldn’t mind ending my career with that.
“I love boxing, actually, and who wouldn’t wanna see Anderson Silva vs.Chris Weidman boxing match? Can he get some revenge on me? There’s some cool fights out there.”
It was Chris Weidman put the finishing touches on Anderson Silva’s legendary title reign and 16-fight win streak in 2013. Weidman didn’t just beat Silva, he beat him twice. In their first fight, Weidman caught ‘The Spider’ while he was showboating, knocking him out at UFC 162 to become the new UFC Middleweight Champion of the world.
Weidman knows the feeling of a leg break all too well and that’s exactly what happened to Anderson Silva in their highly-anticipated rematch at UFC 168 after a checked leg kick.
The promotion saw no need for a trilogy and the middleweights ultimately went their separate ways, fighting other contenders. There was an offer on the table to settle the score, but up 2-0, Weidman says he declined to fight Silva at UFC 212 back in 2017.
While leg breaks are a rare occurrence in MMA, perhaps a boxing match between the two UFC rivals isn’t such a bad idea with kicks out of the equation. But, Anderson Silva surely has the advantage with five pro boxing bouts under his belt, including a win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and of course, a loss to ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul— a fight that Chris Weidman is interested in, too.
“The last MMA pioneer to come and actually do what everyone’s been trying to do and make things right. I don’t know if he would [fight me] either. Maybe. Obviously, that would be a big money fight for me. Everyone’s dying for that fight. I would love that.”
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