Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is confident that he is the man to dethrone current 185lb king Israel Adesanya who is fresh off emphatically defending his title against Paulo Costa at UFC 253.
In a conversation with Chael Sonnen Weidman stated that he would be the first man to beat ‘Stylbender’ if they fought.
“Absolutely (I can beat Adesanya). I think that’s a tailor-made matchup for me. Those athletic strikers, tall lanky guys, I’ve proven that I can beat,” Weidman said. “I think pressure, wrestling, heavy punches, and kick, you know just nonstop pressure is what you need to beat them. That’s the recipe that beats those guys. I’ve proved that with Anderson Silva twice, Uriah Hall another one. Those guys are in trouble against me.”
Weidman has won just two of his last seven fights but thinks he has done enough to earn a shot at Adesanya who he believes will struggle with his elite-level wrestling.
“I’m with you man. I think that’s an exciting fight to make. If you look up and down the rankings, I don’t think there’s too many other fights that are going to excite people the way our narratives could work, and what I bring to the table. It’s not any bulls**t, it’s just facts,” Weidman said. “If you’re into MMA and you really understand the game, you look at my game and you know I present some serious trouble for Adesanya, and more than anybody’s ever had in the past.
“He hasn’t really fought any other great, accoladed wrestler, other than Yoel Romero who doesn’t use his wrestling. So, I don’t even count that. I’m the type of guy that will bring that pressure, and I will take him down and I’ll ragdoll him on the floor. It is the same thing when I fought Anderson Silva.” (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)
Do you want to see Chris Weidman vs. Israel Adesanya?