Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweights Chris Weidman and Bruno Silva went to war earlier tonight (Sat. March 30, 2024) live on ESPN+ inside Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In a controversial bout, Weidman secured the victory via third-round knockout which was soon overturned to a decision win.
Weidman looked sharp in the early goings of the fight. He used his boxing and good feints to move Silva towards the fence, then timed the Brazilian with accurate and powerful punches. His kicking game was flowing too, and when Weidman managed to sting his opponent with a combo, he transitioned smoothly into the wrestling. Silva managed to avoid any truly bad positions, but he was controlled for the final couple minutes of the first.
The bout grew more wild in the second. Silva dialed in his takedown defense, allowing him to get off more strikes of his own. Weidman was still the more active man, but Silva began to close the gap a bit, and his punches definitely carried a lot of power. It was a highly competitive round until the closing seconds, where Weidman stunned his foe and let loose a big flurry.
Unfortunately, it all went south in the third. After a second pause in the action due to eye pokes, Weidman floored his foe with a check hook … sort of. In fact, replay demonstrated that Weidman managed to poke both of his opponent’s eyes, which sent Silva to the ground in agony.
Check out the highlight clip below:
CHRIS WEIDMAN FINISHES BRUNO SILVA WITH A MASSIVE LEFT #UFCAtlanticCity pic.twitter.com/IA5Pp1wUwK
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 31, 2024
Initially, the bout was declared a knockout win for Weidman. Later, the broadcast announced the the New Jersey Athletic Commission overturned that call, went to the scorecards for a technical decision, and Weidman remained the victor via decision. Given that Weidman already gave his victory speech by that point to a raucous Jersey audience, I’m not sure the distinction matters much.
It’s an unfortunate ending for Silva, who was robbed of the opportunity of a late fight rally. Regardless, the night belongs to the former champion!
For complete UFC Atlantic City results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.?