Chris Weidman will confront some hard truths as he prepares to face Bruno Silva at the upcoming UFC Atlantic City card in March.
The former middleweight champion has undergone dozens of surgeries during his career but after suffering a devastating broken leg in 2021, which included a compound fracture, it appeared that perhaps his career was nearing its end. After enduring several more surgeries to repair the damage done, a determined Weidman finally made his return to the UFC this past August — over 800 days removed from his last appearance — but ultimately lost a one-sided decision to Brad Tavares.
Weidman will attempt to get back to his winning ways with his next appearance in March but he acknowledges that there’s a real chance this could be the final fight of his career.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure either [if I’d fight again],” Weidman told Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel. “I’m setting myself up for the future and I wasn’t sure. I was just kind of listening to my body, trying to get healthy. Mentally and motivational wise and technique wise, I still think I’m top in the world but my body’s just taking a beating.
“This could be my last fight but I’m going to kind of make that decision throughout the training camp, see how I feel, if my body can handle a hard training camp again. It might be the last one, it might not be.”
Typically training out of South Carolina where his family lives, Weidman recently took a trip out to Las Vegas where he’s taken advantage of the UFC Performance Institute to help him get ready for his next fight.
As much as he remains undecided on his future, the 39-year-old former middleweight champion felt this particular date and location could serve as the perfect full circle moment for his career if this really could be the end.
“The reason why I took this fight pretty quickly, I didn’t even matter who it was is because it was offered and it was offered in Atlantic City,” Weidman explained. “That’s where I started my career in Atlantic City. Because at the time, MMA wasn’t legal in New York. All the New York guys had to fight in Ring of Combat in Atlantic City, Jersey. I just think it would be pretty cool to go back there where it all started and see how I feel.”
Looking back at his last performance, Weidman confessed that he struggled with the harsh reality that opponents were going to target his surgically repaired leg because that’s going to be perceived as a potential weakness.
Tavares blasted away at Weidman’s legs throughout the fight and the New York native just couldn’t quite pull the trigger in return.
“As soon as he kicked me, I wanted to come back with a kick, I was hesitating,” Weidman said. “I couldn’t do it. I saw his shin there and I hesitated with it.
“I didn’t like that so I’m really going to work in this fight camp dealing with leg kicks. Now I know these guys are going to be coming after my legs.”
Weidman won’t make any decisions right now but he knows the sand could be running out of the hourglass as far as his career goes. For now, he’s just going to pour everything into his preparation and look to take out Silva in March.
“Listen, obviously it’s a good payday,” Weidman said. “See how my body feels and we’ll go from there.”
