Chris Weidman returned after a devastating leg injury at UFC 292. The former UFC middleweight champion faced Brad Tavares in the main event of the preliminary card. While he was not happy to be a prelim fighter, Weidman was excited about the comeback regardless. However, his story did not have a fairytale ending as Tavares beat him in a one-sided fight that went the full distance.
After three rounds, all the judges scored the bout unanimously 30-27 for Tavares. As per UFC stats, Weidman only managed 39 strikes in total while his opponent landed 71 total strikes. Among the 71 total strikes, Tavares landed 41 leg kicks which immobilized Weidman. Clearly, Brad had a very elaborate plan for the fight and executed it to perfection. He also damaged Weidman’s knee badly.
Judging by his movements in the Octagon, it was evident that the injury had severely compromised his agility. Hence, UFC President Dana White wants the player to hang it up for good! During his post-fight press conference, Dana White added, “Listen, man, father time is not our friend at all but definitely if you’re a professional athlete.” Adding about his future in the company, White added, “I’d say, Chris, I love you. Please, please retire.”
Chris Weidman was in a wheelchair after fighting Brad Tavares at UFC 292
Chris Weidman received a rapturous ovation from the Boston crowd inside the TD Gardens arena. However, at the age of 39, Weidman is not at the peak of his powers. In his post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White emphasized that the New York native has achieved it all in the sport and that is exactly why he should walk away from it.
White even addressed Weidman’s latest knee injury at UFC 292 and added that the fighter may require another surgery and he may not be able to compete for another year or so. While an official diagnosis is yet to be delivered, White’s fear was validated when clips of Chris Weidman being rolled around in a wheelchair emerged. But despite that, Weidman did not turn down the request from Tavares for a picture.
MMA is something special 🙌@ChrisWeidman and @BradTavares share a moment backstage after their #UFC292 fight pic.twitter.com/CjtJfpdKSq
— UFC (@ufc) August 20, 2023
Chris Weidman currently holds an MMA record of 15-7 and all 7 of his losses have come in his last 9 fights. His last win came against Omari Akhmedov on August 8, 2020. Hence, it will not be surprising to see Weidman listening to Dana White’s advice and finally bidding his 14-year MMA career farewell. What are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comments down below.
