After the matchup was postponed on fight day at UFC 309 last month, Eryk Anders was able to score a win over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman to close out the early preliminary portion of UFC 310.
Anders got off to a strong start with his striking to start the opening round. After a brief timeout due to an illegal knee from “Ya Boi,” however, Weidman managed to score a knockdown and took control of the rest of the frame.
But in the second stanza, Anders managed to outwork the former champ in his specialty area — grappling. The 37-year-old controlled the pace on top and delivered ground-and-pound that, while not powerful and ruthless, slowly drowned and overwhelmed Weidman over the course of the round before the fight was stopped in the closing seconds.
MMA Fans React As Eryk Anders Finishes Chris Weidman With Ground-And-Pound
Weidman is protesting the stoppage, but Anders slowly bludgeoned him for minutes on the ground and the fight is over.
It wasn't thunderous GNP, but it was constant and Weidman not really stopping it convinced referee Mark Smith he'd seen enough.
— Luke Thomas
(@lthomasnews) December 8, 2024
(@lthomasnews)
The ex-middleweight kingpin has now lost two of three fights since returning last year from the devastating leg injury he suffered at UFC 261 in 2021.
Anders, meanwhile, has now won three of his last four fights.