Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“I’m very dangerous with submissions as well, and [I could] knock him out at the same time”
Chris Weidman is back at the division he once reigned as champion for good. Even though Weidman admits he’s long away from a title shot, he still thinks he’s a ‘bad matchup’ for champ Israel Adesanya.
Weidman (14-5) is moving back to 185-pounds after an unsuccessful one fight stint at light heavyweight, being knocked out by Dominick Reyes in the first-round. The former champion has suffered knockout losses to the likes of Yoel Romero and Jacare Souza and is 1-5 in his last six fights.
Talking recently to MMA Fighting, Weidman said his drop back down to middleweight should be permanent.
“That’s the plan, I think,” Weidman said. “We’ll see, but I think I’m used to being there and my move to 205 [pounds] didn’t go my way at all. I really couldn’t take anything out of that fight. I feel great against 205 pounders, sparring them, and I know I could be right there with all those guys. But it just so happened in my fight [that] I got caught early. So it was hard to take anything out of it.”
“The All American” continued by praising the current UFC middleweight champion Adesanya. Weidman thinks that “The Last Stylebender” will be viewed as a “legend in the sport” once he’s done with MMA, he also discussed why he thinks he’s cause problems for the undefeated middleweight.
“I think he’ll be looked at as a guy who’s like a legend in the sport when it’s all said and done – at least in the middleweight division.
“I just think matchup wise, everything is about matchups, and I think I’m a bad matchup for him. A guy who could get him down and control him. I’m very dangerous with submissions as well, and [I could] knock him out at the same time. I would love to get that opportunity, and right now I’m far away, at least in my eyes. I’ve got some serious work to do. But that is the end goal.”
Weidman was scheduled to fight Jack Hermansson at UFC Oklahoma City on May 2nd but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. The fight hasn’t yet been rescheduled.