In the co-main event at UFC 187, Chris Weidman once again showed why he’s the best 185-pound fighter on the planet. The 30-year-old defended his title against Vitor Belfort via first-round TKO at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
MMAFighting.com tweeted the result:
The action was fast and furious from the outset. Belfort threw flurries that connected and opened up a cut on the champion early on, but things quickly changed for Weidman when he scored a takedown.
The All-American showed why his wrestling is among the best in the sport by quickly moving to mount and unloading a vicious array of blows that forced an end to the bout in the opening frame.
The win moves Weidman’s career record to 13-0, and even with 13 fights to his name, he has one of the best resumes of any champion in the UFC. The win over Belfort marks his fourth consecutive victory over a former UFC champion.
The Phenom held the light heavyweight title in 2004. He also won a heavyweight tournament at UFC 12 in 1997.
But for Weidman, this win was a bit personal. The champion had harsh words for the challenger regarding his high testosterone numbers leading up to the fight. As noted by UFC on Fox, Weidman didn’t hesitate to call Belfort a cheater at the weigh-ins:
Even if Weidman’s accusations prove to be true, it shouldn’t be a concern for the champion’s long-term future. With so many contenders rising up the ranks at middleweight, the odds that the 38-year-old Belfort makes his way back up the ranks again is doubtful.
Instead, the champion will likely have his eyes on a matchup with the likes of Luke Rockhold, Jacare Souza or even Yoel Romero.
A bout against Rockhold would be especially intriguing. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion has finished four consecutive opponents since losing to Belfort in May 2013. Those wins include second-round submissions of Lyoto Machida and Michael Bisping.
Still, with Weidman now holding wins over Anderson Silva, Machida and Belfort, it’s difficult to see anyone being the favorite against the champion.
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