UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s next title defense will take place at UFC 162 and will be against the unbeaten Chris Weidman. Weidman will bring an unbeaten 9-0 record with him when he steps into the Octagon to face Silva in Las …
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s next title defense will take place at UFC 162 and will be against the unbeaten Chris Weidman.
Weidman will bring an unbeaten 9-0 record with him when he steps into the Octagon to face Silva in Las Vegas. As impressive as Weidman’s professional record may be, it pales in comparison to the numbers that Silva has put up since joining the UFC in June 2006.
Silva has run off a record 16 consecutive wins with the promotion. Ten of those victories have come in UFC title defenses. The champ is also on a run of stoppage wins, as Silva’s last four fights have all ended before the conclusion of the second round. The middleweight kingpin earned a KO or TKO in each of those contests. Silva’s most recent win was a first-round TKO over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153, a fight that Silva took on short notice and fought at the light heavyweight limit.
Weidman will enter the bout against Silva after a fairly long layoff, having last battled in July 2012. After that fight, a second-round knockout victory over the highly ranked Mark Munoz, Weidman underwent surgery to repair damage to his shoulder.
Prior to the Munoz fight, Weidman racked up UFC wins over Demian Maia, Tom Lawlor, Jesse Bongfeldt and AlessioSakara.
A fully healed Weidman will look to end Silva’s title reign when the two meet on July 6. Can Weidman accomplish what so many have tried and failed to do before him? Munoz recently took some time to ponder that very question and offer his opinion on the upcoming title fight.
It took about a year of campaigning—most of it fell on deaf ears—but Chris Weidman got what he wanted in the end. Because he’s won nine straight to start his career and has plenty of hype behind him, and the fact that literally every …
It took about a year of campaigning—most of it fell on deaf ears—but Chris Weidman got what he wanted in the end.
Because he’s won nine straight to start his career and has plenty of hype behind him, and the fact that literally every other guy who was ahead of him in the pecking order got beaten right out of contention in the past year, he’ll get a chance at Anderson Silva this summer.
Well buddy, this might be the ultimate in being careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.
Weidman is a tough out for anyone, what with his high level wrestling and exceptional ground game. He’s also shown sound standup skills that routinely have new wrinkles added each time he enters the cage.
But he’s not Anderson Silva.
Furthermore, he’s going to have to do something pretty serious at UFC 162 to prove he’s even in The Spider’s league. It’s pretty rarefied where the best fighter of all-time is perched these days.
Silva’s accolades are plentiful and analyzed to the point of exhaustion. He’s never lost in the UFC, rarely been challenged and has a serious shot at leaving the sport as an undefeated world champion when he decides to hang it up for good.
He was 8-0 in the UFC before Weidman’s career had even started, and he’s 8-0 since in the time that Weidman has been active. Weidman, for his part, is 9-0 in that time but against lesser competition.
So before everyone starts talking about how the 28-year-old Matt Serra protégé is the guy to finally beat Silva, and how he’s a horrible matchup for the champion, it might be time to pump the brakes.
The same thing was said about Chael Sonnen, and Silva beat him. Twice.
Dan Henderson was thought to have the wrestling-based approach and heavy hands that would give Silva fits. It didn’t.
People thought Vitor Belfort would be too fast and powerful for the champion. Look at every UFC highlight reel for the rest of time to see how right they were about that one.
The bottom line is that every time a new guy emerges who is going to go out and show Anderson Silva how this MMA thing is done in the modern era, he gets badly hurt. You simply cannot say that anyone is a bad matchup for Silva anymore, because he’s repeatedly beaten every “bad matchup” he’s ever been in there with.
Is Weidman a reasonable stylistic foil for him? Probably yes, given that he can score takedowns and has enough of a jiu-jitsu pedigree to stay out of trouble when he does.
But is his stand-up really going to keep him conscious long enough to implement such a strategy?
There’s a big gap between knocking out Mark Munoz, outboxing jiu-jitsu champion Demian Maia and going out there trying to hang with the scariest striker MMA has ever produced.
Make no mistake, Weidman deserves respect. He’s a talented guy just coming into his athletic prime, and he’s got as good a claim as anyone to become “The Guy” after Silva is done plying his trade.
But what he does with this chance that he’s begged for honestly has less to do with him and more to do with what the champion when they enter the cage together.
Based on history, that’s not great news for Chris Weidman.
Had he defeated Vitor Belfort on January 19 in Brazil, it’s very likely that Michael Bisping would have been the next opponent for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.Alas, the MMA gods had different plans, and Bisping found himself losing t…
Had he defeated VitorBelfort on January 19 in Brazil, it’s very likely that Michael Bisping would have been the next opponent for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Alas, the MMA gods had different plans, and Bisping found himself losing to Belfort via TKO in that bout.
Bisping’s loss not only delayed his shot at Silva, but coupled with Alan Belcher’s defeat at the hands of YushinOkami, it opened the door for unbeaten (9-0) Chris Weidman to get a shot at the title. Weidman had been very vocal about obtaining a title shot ever since he knocked out Mark Munoz in July of last year.
Bisping, putting the pain of the loss to Belfort as well as the lost title shot behind him (for now), recently spoke about the upcoming bout between Silva and Weidman. Bisping offered his take on who will walk out of the Octagon as UFC middleweight champion when Silva and Weidman meet in the main event of UFC 162.
UFC 162 will take place on July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
Anderson Silva, widely considered the greatest talent in the UFC and MMA, will once again put his middleweight title on the line against breakout-contender Chris Weidman. Silva’s last title defense was against his rival Chael Sonnen, which will h…
Anderson Silva, widely considered the greatest talent in the UFC and MMA, will once again put his middleweight title on the line against breakout-contender Chris Weidman. Silva’s last title defense was against his rival ChaelSonnen, which will have taken place precisely a year before Weidman will step into the cage. He last squared off against Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight showdown and put on yet another highlight performance.
Anderson has shown his dominance at both 185 and 205 weight classes, but middleweight is where he reigns supreme.
Chris Weidman has been very vocal about getting his shot, and after putting the pressure on Silva’s camp, the two have finally come to an agreement. Originally Silva showed little interest in facing Weidman, claiming he was not a PPV seller, nor had done enough to deserve a shot. Time will tell if Weidman will pull in the PPV buys that Sonnen or Silva’s past opponents have, but Silva’s fame will already set a standard of monetary success.
Weidman and others have expressed that his style and abilities are a dangerous challenge to Silva, and his confidence in asking for this fight is unwavering. However, all of Silva’s opponents have been confident in pre-fight rituals—and even when walking out to the cage—but when the fight starts, a whole different story unfolds.
Silva has shown his “medusa-effect” on his opponents, and you see many great fighters look outclassed. This may be from nerves, paired with the level of talent from “The Spider” among other things, but whatever the case, Silva has been king of the hill for many years and has shown very little signs of any downslide.
Silva is a smart technical fighter, but so is Weidman.
Weidman is on a terrific streak; he is undefeated in his career, sitting at 9-0 with six of those wins coming before the judge’s verdict. He has shown an excellent wrestling forte, and if there is one area that Silva has shown vulnerability, it has been on the ground. You wouldn’t guess it from looking at his record and his opponents, but he has only been in trouble when he has been put on his back.
Weidman has the wrestling to be a strong presence on the ground, but it will be a matter of if he can even get the fight to the ground in the first place. Silva was dominated like never before in his first meeting with Sonnen, spending the majority of the 24-ish minutes on his back getting pummeled before finally catching Sonnen in a triangle and pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history.
However, his rematch with Sonnen went completely different. Silva’s work on his takedown defense showed, and knowing Weidman poses a similar threat, he will surely look to tighten up that facet of his game even more.
While wrestling seems to be the best chance at dethroning the Brazilian superstar, Weidman does have great striking as well. It may not be as technical and crisp as others, but he is a well-rounded fighter that is a dangerous opponent for anyone. His last victory over top-contender Mark Munoz showed that he could win definitively over another wrestler and still use his hands to dictate the fight. Weidman’s game plan is anyone’s guess, but he certainly feels comfortable on his feet or on the ground.
Silva will want to go out there and do what he does best, and possibly do so in a manner that will send a statement to the fans and the UFC—that Weidman does not belong in the cage with him.
It won’t necessarily be a matter of trying to embarrass him, but rather trying to outclass him. Silva must be wary to not go into this fight over-confident and take it easy, nor should he want to drag out a fight to make a point. Silva had been widely criticized for some of his previous performances, but since then has been sticking to his highlight-reel ways.
He is looking to cement his legacy and continue his undefeated streak in the UFC, so with an opponent that isn’t as big of a name as Georges St. Pierre or Jon Jones, he may want to put on a unique and dominant performance.
It’s always hard to bet against an undefeated fighter, but in this case they both have been undefeated in the UFC and on long winning-streaks. Someone will take their first loss in years, but it still is a stretch to bet against the champ in this particular case. Silva’s evasiveness, his unorthodox striking and presence, his accuracy and overall durability will cause new challenges for Weidman—the likes of which he has never faced in the UFC.
Then again, most people have never faced the caliber of opponent as Silva, until they actually fight Silva. Weidman has the tools to win this fight, but he may not have the carpenter skills to finish the job.
(“Don’t worry, Leonard, if this doesn’t fix your aching back, it will probably just break it.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)
Two featherweights who have long since punched their tickets to a title shot are set to face off at UFC 162. Of course, now that Jose Aldo is fighting #1 lightweight contender Anthony Pettis and receiving a lightweight title shot if he is successful, we should probably assume that both the winner and loser of this fight will be sitting in title shot purgatory for at least a few months. So hooray for that.
That being the case, we should still prepare for one epic clash when top featherweight contenders Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas meet at UFC 162, which transpires at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 6th.
We haven’t seen Jung in action since he submitted fellow top contender Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Fight of the Year-earning performance back at UFC on FUEL 3 last May, as he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery shortly thereafter. Lamas, on the other hand, has been picking off contenders ever since entering the UFC. With victories over Cub Swanson, Hatsu Hioki, and most recently one-time title hopeful Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6, it would be almost impossible to claim that Lamas hasn’t earned his shot should he best the South Korean.
Who do you like for this one, Potato Nation?
After the jump: Some highlights from Jung and Poirier’s FOTY scrap, as well as Lamas’ destruction of Koch.
(“Don’t worry, Leonard, if this doesn’t fix your aching back, it will probably just break it.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)
Two featherweights who have long since punched their tickets to a title shot are set to face off at UFC 162. Of course, now that Jose Aldo is fighting #1 lightweight contender Anthony Pettis and receiving a lightweight title shot if he is successful, we should probably assume that both the winner and loser of this fight will be sitting in title shot purgatory for at least a few months. So hooray for that.
That being the case, we should still prepare for one epic clash when top featherweight contenders Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas meet at UFC 162, which transpires at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 6th.
We haven’t seen Jung in action since he submitted fellow top contender Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, and Fight of the Year-earning performance back at UFC on FUEL 3 last May, as he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery shortly thereafter. Lamas, on the other hand, has been picking off contenders ever since entering the UFC. With victories over Cub Swanson, Hatsu Hioki, and most recently one-time title hopeful Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6, it would be almost impossible to claim that Lamas hasn’t earned his shot should he best the South Korean.
Who do you like for this one, Potato Nation?
After the jump: Some highlights from Jung and Poirier’s FOTY scrap, as well as Lamas’ destruction of Koch.
Ricardo Lamas certainly knows how to make a statement. The 30-year-old featherweight composed a tweet on ye ole Twittersphere tonight that hinted at his next opponent, and fight fans are going to be pleased with the announcement.A favorite returns…
Ricardo Lamas certainly knows how to make a statement.
The 30-year-old featherweight composed a tweet on ye ole Twittersphere tonight that hinted at his next opponent, and fight fans are going to be pleased with the announcement.
A favorite returns to take on a rapidly rising star.
Take it in, folks.
“The Korean Zombie,” Chan-Sung Jung, returns to the UFC Octagon for the first time in over a year at UFC 162 July 6, live from Las Vegas.
Lamas gets points for the The Walking Dead reference and points for the creative announcement in my book, but the UFC brass gets the most glory here.
UFC 162 is already stacked with a main event featuring the pound-for-pound greatest fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, and with the addition of Lamas vs. Zombie, this card looks absolutely bonkers on paper.
Fresh off a dominant victory over former almost title challenger Erik Koch, Lamas currently rides a four-fight winning streak over tough competition, and a win over The Korean Zombie will almost assuredly secure him a championship fight.
To his credit, The Korean Zombie has also looked phenomenal lately. He is the winner of three straight, and he took him fight-night bonuses in all three victories.
Against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis, Zombie pulled off the rare twister—a submission popularized by 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu founder Eddie Bravo. For his efforts, Jung took home submission of the night and submission of the year honors.
He then followed this performance up with a knockout of the night performance over Mark Hominick at UFC 140, and the stage was set for his greatest Octagon appearance to date.
Jung took on Dustin Poirier at UFC on Fuel TV 3, and the resulting fight became an instant classic.
The two went toe-to-toe on the feet, on the ground, in midair and in the stands (OK, that last one didn’t actually happen) for four rounds before Jung rocked Poirier against the cage and finished the job with a tight brabo choke just one minute into Round 4.
Because of these past performances, The Korean Zombie stands as one of the most fan-friendly fighters on the UFC roster, and a matchup with Lamas promises the same fireworks we have come to expect from him.
Get excited.
The Korean Zombie is back, and Mr. Ricardo Lamas is ready for battle.
For fans of MMA, heavy metal or genreal absurdity,
It took about a year of campaigning—most of it fell on deaf ears—but Chris Weidman got what he wanted in the end.