After an almost four-year hiatus from the win column, Chris Weidman made a triumphant return at UFC Atlantic City. However, his victory was not without its share of controversy, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the event.
In the third round of the bout, Chris Weidman, the former middleweight champion, appeared poised for a potential finish after displaying solid performance in the preceding rounds. However, the match took an unexpected turn when Bruno Silva was inadvertently poked in the eye, leading to a premature end to the fight as referee Gary Copeland intervened and stopped the contest at the 2:18 mark of the third round. Initially declared a TKO victory for Weidman, the outcome was met with controversy and debate.
The fight's outcome was subject to scrutiny as replays unequivocally revealed the eye pokes inflicted by Chris Weidman, prompting the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board to intervene. Despite initially being awarded a TKO victory, the decision was overturned in favor of Weidman by unanimous decision, given his dominance in the preceding rounds before the controversial fouls occurred.
In a peculiar turn of events, Weidman managed to secure his first victory since 2020, marking a significant milestone following his devastating leg injury in 2021.
“I just got done beating a guy who beat a lot of good fighters. I’m still getting my legs back underneath me. I’m still progressing and evolving at 39 years old.”
“That felt so good,” Weidman said afterward. “I’m 39 years old, I’ve had 30 surgeries, I’ve been through some hard ass times and I’m right here fighting my ass off.
In his comeback fight following the leg injury, Weidman demonstrated a noticeable shift in strategy by immediately initiating offense with kicks and showcasing improved punching power. This prompted Silva to engage in a brief exchange of strikes. Weidman then seamlessly transitioned to his wrestling, persistently seeking takedowns while Silva defended from the ground, allowing Weidman to maintain control and dictate the fight's tempo.
In the second round, Silva ramped up his aggression, but his punches lacked accuracy, allowing Weidman to evade the majority of the strikes. Despite Silva's efforts to thwart takedown attempts, Weidman's reach advantage continued to stifle Silva's offense, leaving the Brazilian unable to close the distance effectively.
During their exchanges, Silva landed several impactful shots that caused swelling and a cut under Weidman's left eye. Nevertheless, Weidman remained resilient, retaliating with his own barrage of punches and landing some of his most significant strikes just before the end of the second round.
As the final round commenced, Weidman maintained control, forcing Silva into a desperate charge. With a quick counter, Weidman sent Silva to the canvas, sealing the victory with a flurry of ground strikes.
“You can’t drop to the ground like that if your eye gets poked,” Weidman said. “You’ve got to stand. You can’t just drop. He did that three times and it caught up to him.”
After the eye pokes that caused Silva to fall, Weidman pointed out that despite the fouls, it was ultimately Silva's error.
While the win didn't unfold as he might have preferred, Weidman displayed significant improvement compared to his previous fight post-injury. This triumph propels him forward with optimism for an even more impressive performance in his upcoming bout.
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