Chris Weidman’s return to New York at UFC 309, which some anticipated to be a potential retirement fight, will now not take place. Just hours before he and Eryk Anders were scheduled to make the walk for their fight on the preliminary card at Madison Square Garden, Anders was forced out of the bout with […]
Chris Weidman’s return to New York at UFC 309, which some anticipated to be a potential retirement fight, will now not take place.
Just hours before he and Eryk Anders were scheduled to make the walk for their fight on the preliminary card at Madison Square Garden, Anders was forced out of the bout with a medical issue, per an announcement at the start of the early prelim broadcast.
The reports of the fight’s cancelation were first reported on X by users @TheMMAFoo and @MagicM_MMABets.
Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders has been cancelled per sources. #ufc309
Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders Scrapped From UFC 309 At Last Minute
This was to be Weidman’s first fight in New York since being knocked out by Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC 230.
Weidman is 1-1 in his comeback from his horrific leg break against Uriah Hall at UFC 261. His retirement bout was not confirmed, but plenty of pundits and fans expected the former middleweight champion to potentially call time on his career after tonight’s bout.
Anders, meanwhile, last fought in March, defeating Jamie Pickett.
As a result of the cancellation, the preliminary card start time has been pushed back to 6:30pm ET.
Chris Weidman is set to face Eryk Anders in a middleweight bout at UFC 309 on November 16, 2024,…
Chris Weidman is set to face Eryk Anders in a middleweight bout at UFC 309 on November 16, 2024, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This matchup is significant for both fighters, each looking to make a statement in the competitive 185-pound division.
Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders – Odds
According to the latest UFC betting odds, Eryk Anders is considered the favorite to win the fight, while Chris Weidman is the underdog. Specifically, Anders is listed with odds of -180, which means that a bettor would need to wager $180 to potentially win $100 if Anders emerges victorious.
On the other hand, Chris Weidman is listed at +155, indicating that a $100 bet on him could potentially yield a $155 profit if he wins the fight. These odds suggest that the bookmakers and betting markets view Anders as having a higher probability of winning the bout.
Weidman’s wrestling background and technical striking will be pitted against Anders’ raw power and aggressive approach. The outcome may hinge on whether Weidman can utilize his experience and grappling skills to neutralize Anders’ striking threat, or if Anders can keep the fight standing and land his powerful shots.
Former champion Chris Weidman is at a crossroads. He’s taking his future in MMA on a fight-by-fight basis, carefully weighing his performance and how he feels after each bout. A win over Anders could solidify his place among the elite in the middleweight division and potentially set him up for bigger fights. For Anders, defeating a former champion like Weidman would be a major boost to his career.
The 37-year-old Eryk Anders enters this fight with momentum on his side. He’s coming off a unanimous decision win against Jamie Pickett at UFC Vegas 87 in March 2024. Anders is recognized for his explosive power and relentless fighting style, which could pose a threat to Weidman. However, Anders has had an inconsistent record recently, alternating between wins and losses.
For Chris Weidman, this fight represents another step in his comeback journey. The former middleweight champion, now 40 years old, has faced numerous challenges in recent years, including a severe leg injury in 2021 that required extensive recovery. Weidman’s last fight was a technical decision victory over Bruno Silva in March 2024, marking his first win since the injury. Known for his well-rounded skillset combining wrestling and striking, Weidman brings experience and championship pedigree to the octagon.
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 30: Chris Weidman reacts after his victory against Bruno Silva of Brazil in a middleweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Boardwalk Hall Arena on March 30, 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
In the main event of UFC 309, Jon Jones will defend his UFC heavyweight championship against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic. This matchup has been years in the making and pits two greats against each other. Jones is often considered one of the best mixed martial artists of all time and will be looking to cement his legacy in the heavyweight division. Miocic is known for his powerful striking and excellent cardio will aim to reclaim the title and prove he’s still at the top of his game at 42 years old.
Image via: Getty
The co-main event features a lightweight rematch between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. Their first encounter at UFC 262 in 2021 was an action-packed affair that saw Oliveira claim the title. UFC 309 is set to take place on November 16, 2024, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
At 40 years old, no one would have been surprised or complained if Chris Weidman made the decision to retire and step away from the UFC. The New York native has already achieved some great things in his career as a former middleweight champion. He’s also overcome some tough losses and in recent times, some […]
At 40 years old, no one would have been surprised or complained if Chris Weidman made the decision to retire and step away from the UFC. The New York native has already achieved some great things in his career as a former middleweight champion.
He’s also overcome some tough losses and in recent times, some devastating injuries that would have been the end for many fighters. Losing his return fight in August last year against Brad Tavares didn’t discourage him from continuing to compete.
In his last fight, he returned to the win column and though it was a fight that carried a lot of controversy with it, Weidman did look good in the fight. Unfortunately, a lot of the praise for him was undone by the multiple eye pokes that Bruno Silva suffered which ultimately led to the fight being stopped and changed from a TKO to a decision verdict due to the injury.
Weidman is now set to return to face Eryk Anders at UFC 309 and though his luck when fighting at Madison Square Garden has been less than ideal with two knockout losses, it would make a lot of sense to wrap things up in front of a home crowd at the world’s most famous arena.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, the former champion revealed that is very unlikely to be the case on November 9. Instead, he’s choosing to take each fight as it comes and will decide whether or not he wants to continue after the fact rather than before or during his time in the Octagon.
“Honestly, I’m still taking it fight by fight to see how I feel, to see how I perform. Right now in the gym my body, I feel good and I’m doing great in the gym but I’ve got to be able to perform under the lights. So that’s all just fight to fight at this point at my age and everything. We’ll see how I feel and we’ll just play it from there.
“I’m pretty much taking it fight by fight, I’ll make my decision after the fight. I’m not planning on putting my gloves down or anything like that either win or lose. But I’m planning to just not make any rushed decisions. Right now, I still feel great. I’m excited. I love training. I love being in camps. I love just the whole discipline of it and how it keeps you on routine. It’s really addictive. I’m super competitive so it’s just like the ultimate best thing for me to be doing. But obviously you can’t do it forever. So that’s why I’ve got to take it fight by fight and kind of just weigh the pros and cons of everything and see where we’re at.”
At 40 years old, no one would have been surprised or complained if Chris Weidman made the decision to retire and step away from the UFC. The New York native has already achieved some great things in his career as a former middleweight champion. He’s also overcome some tough losses and in recent times, some […]
At 40 years old, no one would have been surprised or complained if Chris Weidman made the decision to retire and step away from the UFC. The New York native has already achieved some great things in his career as a former middleweight champion.
He’s also overcome some tough losses and in recent times, some devastating injuries that would have been the end for many fighters. Losing his return fight in August last year against Brad Tavares didn’t discourage him from continuing to compete.
In his last fight, he returned to the win column and though it was a fight that carried a lot of controversy with it, Weidman did look good in the fight. Unfortunately, a lot of the praise for him was undone by the multiple eye pokes that Bruno Silva suffered which ultimately led to the fight being stopped and changed from a TKO to a decision verdict due to the injury.
Weidman is now set to return to face Eryk Anders at UFC 309 and though his luck when fighting at Madison Square Garden has been less than ideal with two knockout losses, it would make a lot of sense to wrap things up in front of a home crowd at the world’s most famous arena.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, the former champion revealed that is very unlikely to be the case on November 9. Instead, he’s choosing to take each fight as it comes and will decide whether or not he wants to continue after the fact rather than before or during his time in the Octagon.
“Honestly, I’m still taking it fight by fight to see how I feel, to see how I perform. Right now in the gym my body, I feel good and I’m doing great in the gym but I’ve got to be able to perform under the lights. So that’s all just fight to fight at this point at my age and everything. We’ll see how I feel and we’ll just play it from there.
“I’m pretty much taking it fight by fight, I’ll make my decision after the fight. I’m not planning on putting my gloves down or anything like that either win or lose. But I’m planning to just not make any rushed decisions. Right now, I still feel great. I’m excited. I love training. I love being in camps. I love just the whole discipline of it and how it keeps you on routine. It’s really addictive. I’m super competitive so it’s just like the ultimate best thing for me to be doing. But obviously you can’t do it forever. So that’s why I’ve got to take it fight by fight and kind of just weigh the pros and cons of everything and see where we’re at.”
UFC 308 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 309 in New York City. The promotion was in Abu Dhabi last week, where the Etihad Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the Middle East. Of […]
While the aftermath of the October 26 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the featherweight title picture to the heavyweight championship conversation.
At UFC 309, set for the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 16, reigning kingpin Jon Jones will compete for the first time this year in defense of his gold. Following a submission of Ciryl Gane to capture the crown, “Bones” will finally face the challenge of returning legend Stipe Miocic 20 months later.
Nickal, Weidman, Silva Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 309
Before Jones defends his belt and Oliveira runs it back with Chandler, a number of other notable names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 309 card.
That includes fast-rising flyweight Karine Silva, who gets her toughest assignment to date opposite longtime contender Viviane Araújo. Having won all four of her UFC fights and risen to #11 on the ladder following a submission of Maryna Moroz and decision victory over Ariane Lipski, “Killer” will look to break into title contention at the expense of Araújo, who lost to Natália Silva last time out.
Those pairings have gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the light heavyweight clash between #6-ranked contender Nikita Krylov and the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov, which is currently slated to top the preliminary portion of the event.
See below for the full UFC 309 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones (C) vs. Stipe Miocic
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araújo vs. Karine Silva
Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Middleweight: Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman
Preliminary Card:
Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov
Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez vs. Oban Elliott
Women’s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura
Bruno Silva probably has a legitimate reason for hating Chris Weidman, but you can now add Daniel Cormier to…
Bruno Silva probably has a legitimate reason for hating Chris Weidman, but you can now add Daniel Cormier to the Brazilian’s sh*t list.
Silva and Weidman went toe-to-toe at UFC Atlantic City in March. Weidman initially won the bout via TKO just past the two-minute mark of the third round, but the decision was later changed after it was revealed that eye pokes played a sizeable role in the fight-ending sequence. Silva initially wanted to see the fight ruled a no-contest, but the State Athletic Control Board of New Jersey denied his request and instead switched it to a win for Weidman via technical decision.
Silva later revealed that he temporarily lost 30% of his vision in one of his eyes.
Understandably upset, Silva lobbied for a rematch with Weidman. Instead, he’ll return against Ismail Naurdiev this Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
“We were asking for this fight,” Silva said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “When I go to bed at night, he’s the opponent I hate the most. I’ve fought many people, I have more than 30 MMA fights, but every time I think of him and [Daniel] Cormier, I feel anger.
Silva explained that his beef with Cormier stems from the Hall of Famer poking fun (pun not intended) at the controversial contest by wearing protective eyewear while co-hosting the UFC 300 weigh-in show with Weidman two weeks later.
Bruno Silva plans to call out Chris Weidman at UFC 308
While Silva is booked for UFC 308, Weidman will return to action on November 16 for the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden.
“[Weidman] is fighting a month after me, and my focus is on knocking this guy [Naurdiev], and then I’m calling him out on the mic,” Silva said. “I could ask for other opponents, but I like to deal with things my way. He’s fighting next month, and I have a score to settle with him. It’s personal. I’ll ask the UFC, and I hope they send him my way. He’s not on a great run, but he has a big name. He’s a former champion, and it brings good media. If we both win, maybe that’s interesting for the UFC. I want that fight back. But if that’s something that’s gonna slow me down, f*ck that dude.”
“My biggest mistake was that I respected Chris Weidman too much, and I’ll live with that for the rest of my life,” Silva said. “He deserved no respect. Even [coach Andre] Dida said I respected him way too much. The fight was over, we spoke in the locker room because I didn’t want any bad vibe. And then he grabs the mic and starts talking crap, him and Cormier. My God. Cormier, talk about an insufferable person.”
(@TheMMAfoo) November 16, 2024
(@TheMMAfoo) 
Chris Weidman is set to face Eryk Anders in a middleweight bout at UFC 309 on November 16, 2024,…
Bruno Silva probably has a legitimate reason for hating Chris Weidman, but you can now add Daniel Cormier to…
