Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold 2, Yoel Romero vs. ‘Shogun’ Rua Announced By Global Fight League

A number of veterans have their first outings under the Global Fight League (GFL) banner confirmed, and the opening matchups include a rematch between former UFC middleweight champions Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold. After years of preparation, the GFL is set to stage events for the first time this coming April, as the promotion looks […]

After years of preparation, the GFL is set to stage events for the first time this coming April, as the promotion looks to succeed in the fight game with a team-based format and season structure. 15 cards are planned up until August, after which two playoff events and one final will take place before the year’s end.

Following the release of the six city teams, as well as a manager and head coach for each, 120 fighters were picked as part of the inaugural draft last month. And while little is known about dates and venues for the first events in April, the matchups have begun to roll out.

The official GFL social media account announced the first fight on Thursday. As expected after Luke Rockhold was traded from Team Dubai to Team Los Angeles, the Californian will run it back with Team New York’s Weidman, a fellow former UFC middleweight champion.

Our first confirmed matchup:

The All-American @chrisweidman takes on @LukeRockhold in a highly anticipated rematch between 2 former champions! pic.twitter.com/pZeOfTWJHx

— Global Fight League (@mmagfl) February 13, 2025

The pair first collided way back in 2015, with Rockhold emerging victorious from the Fight of the Night at UFC 194 after stopping the then-defending champ in round four.

Rockhold, who was also the last 185-pound titleholder in Strikeforce, has competed just once in MMA since 2019. After consecutive knockout losses to Yoel Romero and Jan B?achowicz, the 40-year-old memorably bowed out of the UFC in defeat against Paulo Costa. He’s since gone 1-1 away from MMA, losing to Mike Perry in BKFC and stopping Joe Schilling under the Karate Combat banner.

Weidman, meanwhile, initially appeared to announce his retirement from the sport last month but was quickly announced as the GFL’s latest big-name signing. The Baldwin native has had his hand raised once in three fights since returning from a broken leg. Weidman was most recently finished by Eryk Anders at UFC 309 last November.

The rematch between Rockhold and Weidman wasn’t the only confirmed first-round matchup, with the GFL also revealing a clash between Team Miami’s Yoel Romero and Maurício “Shogun” Rua of Team São Paulo.

The inclusion of Rua was among many that raised concerns in the MMA community. The 43-year-old looked a shadow of his former self when he was knocked out by Ihor Potieria in January 2023. Despite the retirement that followed that fight being widely supported, the former UFC and PRIDE standout now has Romero’s power to deal with.

While four years older than Rua, the game doesn’t appear to have left “Soldier of God” as of yet. Since a loss in his Bellator debut, the Cuban has won three out of four fights in the cage, most recently defeating fellow former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos under the PFL banner last February.

Chris Weidman Would Have Retired In The Octagon If It Wasn’t For UFC’s Card Placement: ‘A Champion Being Put On The Prelims…’

Chris Weidman’s announcement that he has retired from the UFC was relatively low-key for a former champion. After competing 20 times in the Octagon, including three consecutive middleweight title defenses after he brought the legendary reign of Anderson Silva to an end, “The All-American” stated that he would no longer be fighting for the promotion […]

Weidman debuted for the UFC back in 2011 and whilst his recent run has lead to people calling for him to retire, including Dana White himself, many would have expected this to come in his loss to Eryk Anders at UFC 310 in December. Rather than getting some time on the mic at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to say goodbye to the fans, a social media post was the final parting moment before the 40-year old was announced to be fighting for the GFL during the promotion’s draft last Friday.

Weidman appeared on The Ariel Helwani show on January 28 to talk about his UFC departure and decision to sign with the GFL. He explained how he wanted to have a big send off in the cage but he didn’t want it to be on the prelims of the card which is where his rescheduled bout with Anders ended up taking place.

“I kind of was thinking I would announce that I’m retiring and put down my gloves and it would be pretty cool. But honestly, the UFC, they’re like, ‘Chris, we’re going to put you on the prelims again. We can’t put you on main cards’. It kind of sucks to see. A champion like that being put on the prelims all the time. Like, what am I doing?”

Despite having some regrets about the way that his UFC career came to an end, Weidman also stated that he understands why the main card slots would be offered to other fighters.

“All these up-and-comers, guys who were in my position like I was years and years ago coming up, they gotta make new stars out of these guys. And these former champions like myself that are not doing great, losing fights…you go from riches to rags basically inside the UFC and it’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s just business.”

Addressing the ‘Elephant in the Room’ – Chris Weidman Comments on UFC Exit and GFL Draft

Chris Weidman is addressing the elephant in the room. Earlier this month, the ‘All American’ announced his retirement from…

Chris Weidman is addressing the elephant in the room.

Earlier this month, the ‘All American’ announced his retirement from mixed martial arts during the UFC 311 weigh-in show. Weidman was given ample time to make the announcement, bringing an end to a 13-year run inside the Octagon that saw him earn wins over Demian Maia, Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Kelvin Gastelum. Along the way, Weidman captured the middleweight championship and successfully defended it three times.

Chris Weidman announces his retirement from the UFC. pic.twitter.com/58xG6JtJVO

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) January 17, 2025

Eight days later, Weidman is officially coming out of retirement.

During Friday’s live Global Fight League draft, ‘All American’ was selected by Team New York as the seventh overall pick and is expected to take part in the promotion’s inaugural regular season when it kicks off in April.

During the live draft broadcast, Weidman offered some insight into his decision to cut his retirement short one week after announcing it.

“The elephant in the room is I just retired from UFC,” Weidman said. “A lot of people thought I was done fighting,” explained Weidman. “I didn’t know. I thought maybe I’m done fighting. I was kind of open to other opportunities outside of the UFC, but it had to be good. This is a league with a lot of guys I have a history with. You got Luke Rockhold, you got Gegard Mousasi, you got Uriah Hall.

“Rockhold was my first loss ever. That was a tough pill for me to swallow. We were supposed to rematch a bunch of times in UFC, but it never happened. So that would be a fight I’d love to have. It’s older dudes that I have a lot of history with. I love to compete and we make a whole lot of money. It’s not something I really feel like I can say no to. It’s really an exciting time for me.”

Chris Weidman joined by 19 other fighters on Team New York

Joining Weidman on Team New York will be former UFC light heavyweight contender Ovince Saint Preux, ‘Motown Phenom’ Kevin Lee, ex-bantamweight queen Holly Holm, BJJ specialist Dillon Danis, and former BKFC heavyweight champion Alan Belcher.

Video: Chris Weidman Announces UFC Retirement; Won Middleweight Title in 2013

It’s the end of an era in UFC. Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman announced his retirement on Friday after a 14-year career within the organization.…

Ex-UFC Champion Chokes Out Poker Player Who Refused To Pay 5k Debt

A friend of former UFC middleweight titleholder Chris Weidman was left with an interesting choice — pay up your…

A friend of former UFC middleweight titleholder Chris Weidman was left with an interesting choice — pay up your poker debt or get choked unconscious.

In a video clip posted on Weidman’s Instagram, ‘All-American’ carefully put one of his acquaintances to sleep while revealing in the caption that it was either that or pay $5,000 after a night of gambling. As you can see, the friend chose the former, and the results were exactly what you’d expect.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman)

“He Lost in poker last night,” Weidman wrote. “It was either pay 5k or get choked unconscious! What do you do?”

It’s certainly not the first time a professional fighter has taken the opportunity to choke out a friend or fan. Who can remember the time Steve-O stepped inside the Octagon so another former middleweight titleholder — Michael Bisping — could put him in a chokehold?

Then there’s the time that Dillon Danis put Elle Brooke to sleep live on camera, only for her to spring alive and exclaim that the experience was better than drugs.

Dana White encourages Weidman to retire following brutal loss at UFC 310

After ending a three-year-long streak without a victory, Weidman climbed back into the win column last year with a technical decision over Bruno Silva, though the W came with a heaping spoonful of controversy.

Unfortunately, ‘All American’ couldn’t keep the momentum going in his return to the Octagon at UFC 310 earlier this month, suffering a brutal second-round knockout against Eryk Anders in the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of 2024.

Following the loss, UFC CEO Dana White strongly suggested that Weidman lay down his gloves and call it a career.

Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman UFC 310 541

“The Ship Has Sailed” UFC Icon Calls for Chris Weidman to Hang Up His Gloves

Former UFC fighter and current commentator Paul Felder has spoken out about Chris Weidman’s future in mixed martial arts…

Former UFC fighter and current commentator Paul Felder has spoken out about Chris Weidman’s future in mixed martial arts following his latest setback at UFC 310. Felder, who was once a fan of Weidman during his reign as the UFC middleweight champion, now believes it’s time for the legendary fighter to step away from the sport.

In a candid comment speaking on a podcast with Michael Bisping, Felder stated, “But I was a big Chris Weidman fan. I loved him when he was a champion. But I do think—I think that ship has sailed. I think it’s time for him to—dude, you’ve done so much in the freaking sport. I know money is always an issue when you’re an athlete, and you don’t necessarily have other things, but now is definitely the time to start thinking about, What am I going to do full-time post-being a UFC fighter? Because Father Time is there, and it’s knocking hard on his door.”

Chris Weidman, who gained worldwide recognition in 2013 when he dethroned Anderson Silva to become the middleweight champion, has struggled to regain his form in recent years, losses and a leg break recovery have weighed heavily on the US-born athlete. The loss at UFC 310 has led many to question his future in the sport, and Felder’s remarks echo the sentiment within the MMA community.

Despite his storied career, including notable victories over legends like Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Lyoto Machida, Weidman’s recent performances have been marred by injury and a series of tough losses. With Father Time seemingly catching up with him, the question now is whether Weidman can rebound or if it’s time for the former champion to transition into the next chapter of his life.

Felder, who himself transitioned to a successful commentary career after his fighting days, offered support for Weidman’s legacy, urging him to consider his health and future beyond the octagon. “You’ve done so much in the freaking sport,” Felder added, urging the former champ to reflect on what lies ahead as he nears the end of his UFC tenure.

As discussions continue about Weidman’s future, many fans and fighters are mirroring the idea that it might be time for the veteran to walk away.