Tag: Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman doubles down on Israel Adesanya call out ahead of UFC 292: ‘I’m not this old bum at this point’

Chris Weidman doubles down on call out of Israel Adesanya I'm not an old bum UFCAhead of his Octagon return from a catastrophic leg injury suffered back in 2021, former undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman has doubled down on his interest in a future title fight with gold holder, Israel Adesanya – maintaining he still poses threats to the Nigerian-Kiwi.  Weidman, a former undisputed middleweight champion under the banner of […]

Chris Weidman doubles down on call out of Israel Adesanya I'm not an old bum UFC

Ahead of his Octagon return from a catastrophic leg injury suffered back in 2021, former undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman has doubled down on his interest in a future title fight with gold holder, Israel Adesanya – maintaining he still poses threats to the Nigerian-Kiwi. 

Weidman, a former undisputed middleweight champion under the banner of the promotion, has been sidelined since he featured in a rematch against Uriah Hall back in April 2021, suffering a shocking compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula inside the opening half a minute of the first round.

Yet to return to the Octagon in the time since, Weidman is now-slated to fight at UFC 292 in Boston, Massachusetts – taking on soon-to-be common-foe, Brad Tavares in a pay-per-view card. 

Chris Weidman believes he can pose a threat to champion, Israel Adesanya

And following the booking of his return against Tavares later this year, Weidman admitted that he hoped to work his way back to a title fight against Adesanya – now doubling down on those calls, claiming he could pose many problems to the City Kickboxing staple.

“No one accomplished what I’ve accomplished in the middleweight division besides Israel Adesanya as far as title defenses and all that,” Chris Weidman told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I love that matchup. I think once people see me back out there and see that I’m not this old bum at this point, and they see that I have some serious threats to bring to the table, I believe I’m a really bad matchup for [Israel Adesanya].”

“But, I have to prove that, and so until then, I’ll shut my mouth and just go out there and prove it against Brad Tavares,” Chris Weidman explained. “I think they’ll see enough in that fight where they’ll believe.” 

Sidelined since he headlined UFC 287 back in April of this year, Adesanya managed to reclaim the middleweight title with a spectacular second round KO win over arch-rival, Alex Pereira in Miami, Florida. 

Chris Weidman eyes triumphant return to UFC title fight with Israel Adesanya: ‘I love that matchup’

Chris Weidman eyes future title fight return against Israel Adesanya UFCBooked to make his first Octagon return since suffering a compound fracture to his right tibia and fibula back in 2021, former undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman will look to springboard a UFC 292 comeback into a potential future championship fight, with current kingpin, Israel Adesanya. Weidman, a former undisputed middleweight champion, has been sidelined […]

Chris Weidman eyes future title fight return against Israel Adesanya UFC

Booked to make his first Octagon return since suffering a compound fracture to his right tibia and fibula back in 2021, former undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman will look to springboard a UFC 292 comeback into a potential future championship fight, with current kingpin, Israel Adesanya.

Weidman, a former undisputed middleweight champion, has been sidelined since suffering a horrific leg fracture back in April 2021 in a rematch with the now-retired, Uriah Hall – suffering a TKO loss just 17-seconds into the opening round of his main card clash.

And earlier this week, reports emerged detailing how New York favorite, Weidman would be returning to the Octagon at UFC 292 in August in Boston, Massachusetts – drawing veteran middleweight contender, Brad Tavares on the East Coast.

Chris Weidman eyes future middleweight title fight after UFC return

Commenting on his return to active competition against Tavares in the summer, Weidman revealed he still plans to reclaim middleweight gold in the future – in the form of a fight with would-be common-foe, Adesanya.

“And just climb up the rankings, earn my way back to a title fight,” Chris Weidman said on his podcast. “I love the champion, Israel Adesanya. I love that matchup. That’s the goal, is to get there and to get a fight with him. I am on a mission to make that happen. And it’s not gonna come easy, but I’m excited for all the hard work and the discipline and everything it’s gonna take to get there. I know I have the tools, and I have everything it takes to do it.” 

Winning middleweight gold against Anderson Silva back in 2013, Weidman, a staple of Serra-Longo MMA Fight Team, landed consecutive successful title defenses over Brazilian trio, Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Vitor Belfort – before dropping his crown to Luke Rockhold. 

Report – Ex-Champion Chris Weidman books UFC 292 return in first fight since horrific leg break

Chris Weidman books UFC 292 fight against Brad Tavares first bout since leg breakFormer undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman has booked his first Octagon walk since suffering a compound fracture of his right fibula and tibia in 2021, with a pairing against veteran division staple, Brad Tavares expected to take place on August 19. at UFC 292 from the TG Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.  Weidman, who headlined the […]

Chris Weidman books UFC 292 fight against Brad Tavares first bout since leg break

Former undisputed middleweight champion, Chris Weidman has booked his first Octagon walk since suffering a compound fracture of his right fibula and tibia in 2021, with a pairing against veteran division staple, Brad Tavares expected to take place on August 19. at UFC 292 from the TG Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Weidman, who headlined the promotion’s most recent visit to Boston in a knockout loss to former light heavyweight title challenger, Dominick Reyes in a brief divisional move, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 261 back in April 2021, in a rematch with the now-retired Uriah Hall.

Sidelined since the Jacksonville, Florida event, Chris Weidman suffered a catastrophic leg injury just 17-seconds into the opening round, fracturing his right tibia and fibula after seeing an early leg kick checked by The Ultimate Fighter veteran, Hall.

Chris Weidman books Octagon return in East Coast homecoming

And as per an initial report from Newsday reporter, Mark Le Monica, Chris Weidman will return to action for the first time since his horrific leg injury, taking on Hawaiian veteran, Tavares at UFC 292 on the East Coast in August of this year.

A former undisputed middleweight champion, Weidman, 38, who’s most recent win came in the form of a decision victory over Omari Akhmedov, won divisional gold in a stunning KO win over incoming Hall of Fame inductee, Anderson Silva back in 2013.

Defending the crown in an immediate title rematch with the Brazilian – who himself suffered a leg fracture in their re-run, Weidman would then remain championship holder in a pair of back-to-back victories against Brazilian duo and former champions, Lyoto Machida, and Vitor Belfort.

Dropping the title in the co-main event of UFC 194, Weidman succumbed to ground strikes against Luke Rockhold in December 2015.

UFC 292 takes place on August 19. from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, with an undisputed bantamweight title fight between champion, Aljamain Sterling, and challenger, Sean O’Malley expected to take main event honors.

In the night’s co-headliner, undisputed strawweight titleholder, Zhang Weili is slated to defend her crown in a clash against Brazilian contender, Amanda Lemos.

Chris Weidman targets UFC 290 return in July following leg injury: ‘I’m pretty much there’

Chris Weidman targets UFC return in July UFC 290 leg breakFormer UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is readying himself for a return to the Octagon after suffering a horrific injury two years ago. Weidman suffered one of the most grisly injuries in the promotion’s history on April 24, 2021. Stepping into the cage for a main card matchup against Uriah Hall at UFC 261, ‘All […]

Chris Weidman targets UFC return in July UFC 290 leg break

Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is readying himself for a return to the Octagon after suffering a horrific injury two years ago.

Weidman suffered one of the most grisly injuries in the promotion’s history on April 24, 2021. Stepping into the cage for a main card matchup against Uriah Hall at UFC 261, ‘All American’ delivered a leg kick, the first blow of the bout, and immediately snapped his leg in the process. The injury quickly drew comparisons to a similar injury suffered by Anderson Silva. An injury that ironically came against Chris Weidman.

During his appearance on the latest episode of UFC Unfiltered with Matt Serra and Jim Norton, Chris Weidman detailed his road to recovery.

“I got a titanium rod through the middle of my shin bone – right through the whole (bone), from the top of my knee all the way down to the low part of my ankle to the bottom of the tibia,” Weidman said. “On paper, I think I’m pretty good. For me to break my bone and then through the rod, I don’t think that’s going to happen. A compound fracture is not going to be happening. But you know what? My goal is to kick as hard as I possibly can, so maybe it does happen. I just want to defy the odds. Imagine that.

“I’m good. I’m pretty much there. When I’m up on my toes and stuff like that and I start bouncing, I get like a little pain on the shin and stuff. But they’re saying that is just based on the quad and the calf needs to get a little bit stronger still. When that happens, I’ll be good. I’m just doing physical therapy and still working on that” (h/t MMA Junkie)

Chris Weidman Eyeing Return to the Octagon During International Fight Week

Chris Weidman also revealed that he is eyeing a return to the Octagon later this year, specifically mentioning International Fight Week which will play host to UFC 290 this July.

“I think in the summer – sometime in the summer,” Weidman said. “I was saying June, but I’m thinking maybe International Fight Week. Sometime around that time period, I’ll be good to go (at) 185. I got down to 210 for this grappling event and my weight’s not flying back up again, so I’ll be good. I’ll be good to make 185 now.”

Reliving the horrific moment, Chris Weidman did his best to detail his mindset after seeing his leg snap and the subsequent pain that he felt once realizing what happened.

“As soon as I broke my leg and I saw it, I go, ‘Holy crap!’ I saw the bones and everything,” Weidman said. “I just remembered Anderson Silva screaming in pain, like someone was murdering him. And I know this is going to suck and here comes – and as soon as I felt the pain kick in I was just begging people ‘Please!’

“Now they’re moving my leg around. They’re trying to hold it into place as they get me on a stretcher and all this crap, and the bones are moving around. And the pain – I can’t even explain the pain. The pain was the worst thing I could ever imagine. I kept begging them to give me pain pills: ‘Give me something quick. Put me to sleep. Get me on painkillers. Knock me out. I cannot deal with this.’ This is not meant for human beings to deal with.”

Chris Weidman fights back emotion after grappling match in first sports outing since ghastly 2021 leg fracture

Chris Weidman UFC Polaris 23 grappling emotional leg injuryFormer undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Chris Weidman fought back tears and an outpouring of emotions at a Polaris submission grappling event over the course of this weekend, with the Baldwin native competing in a sports setting for the first time since suffering a ghastly compound fracture of his right leg back in 2021.  Weidman, a […]

Chris Weidman UFC Polaris 23 grappling emotional leg injury

Former undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Chris Weidman fought back tears and an outpouring of emotions at a Polaris submission grappling event over the course of this weekend, with the Baldwin native competing in a sports setting for the first time since suffering a ghastly compound fracture of his right leg back in 2021. 

Weidman, a former undisputed middleweight champion under the UFC banner, returned to feature at Polaris 23 – a submission grappling event, dropping an eventual decision loss to Owen Livesey in a special attraction matchup.

Chris Weidman fought back tears at Polaris 23, with the ex-UFC champion returning to sports for the first time since a 2021 leg fracture.

Chris Weidman fights back tears while addressing the crowd at Polaris 23

Speaking following the competitive back-and-forth, however, Weidman, who returned to sports competition for the first time since suffering his leg fracture at UFC 261 in April 2021 fought back emotion, and thanked fans for their continued support.

“These last two years have been the hardest years of my life,” Chris Weidman said. “I don’t want to cry, I’m not going to cry, but I don’t know if you know this, but I snapped my leg in half in April 2021, and I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be able to compete again in anything. And so to be able to come out here and put a show on for you guys, win or lose, is truly a dream.”

“I want to thank all my supporters, anybody who had my back, said prayers for me, throughout this time off because I really felt that support,” Chris Weidman explained. “And all you haters that just think I suck and think I should retire, thanks for the motivation. Cause I’m going to prove you guys wrong when I get to a UFC fight.” 

Featuring against the since-retired Uriah Hall in a rematch at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida, Weidman suffered a 17-second TKO loss to the former, after he saw a leg kick checked in the opening exchanges, which resulted in a compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula.

A former undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Weidman won the crown with a stunning upset knockout win over Anderson Silva in 2013, before defending the title against the Brazilian – who suffered his own leg fracture in an immediate rematch.

In a pair of successful title defenses subsequently, Serra-Longo MMA staple, defeated fellow Brazilian duo, Lyoto Machida, and Vitor Belfort.