Chris Weidman’s future in the Octagon hangs in the balance. As he gears up for his next bout, he’s contemplating his next steps.
Weidman, with a record of 15-7, had a career-threatening leg break. This happened in a rematch against Uriah Hall at UFC 261 in April 2021. It was a tough time, no doubt.
After two grueling years of rehab, the former middleweight champ made a comeback. He faced Brad Tavares at UFC 292 in August 2023. But alas, he suffered a unanimous decision loss. This made it 2-6 for “The All-American” since losing the crown.
Up next for Weidman is Bruno Silva (23-10). They’re scheduled to face off at UFC Atlantic City on March 30. Should be an interesting match.
Weidman, a native of Baldwin, New York, recently shared some thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he’d return to action after the bout with Tavares. He’s considering retirement as he approaches his upcoming Octagon outing.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I’m setting myself up for the future, and I wasn’t sure,” Weidman told Daniel Cormier. “I was kind of listening to my body and trying to get healthy. Mentally and motivational-wise, and technique-wise, I still think I’m top of the world, but my body’s just taking a beating.”
“This could be my last fight. I’m gonna kind of make that decision throughout the training camp and see how I feel. If my body can handle a hard training camp again, and it might be the last one, it might not be.”
Interestingly, UFC Atlantic City holds a special place in Weidman’s heart. It’s where he kicked off his professional mixed martial arts career in 2009.
“The reason why I even took this fight pretty quickly: it didn’t even matter who it was because it was offered in Atlantic City. That’s where I started my career [in] Atlantic City because at the time, MMA wasn’t legal in New York. So, the New York guys had to fight in Ring of Combat in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and so I just think it would be pretty cool to go back there where it all started and see how I feel and go from there.”
So, there you have it. Weidman’s future in the Octagon is uncertain, but his fighting spirit is as strong as ever.