Chris Weidman signed with the World Struggle League (GFL) simply eight days after asserting he was leaving the UFC.
Now, the 40-year-old from New York has revealed the principle driving drive behind the choice that made him stick along with his beloved MMA.
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Weidman is a former UFC middleweight champion, having received the belt from MMA legend Anderson Silva in 2013.
Nevertheless, requires ‘The All-American’ to retire emerged following his final octagon look towards Eryk Anders at UFC 310 in December, when he was brutally completed within the second spherical.
Weidman was coming off a victory to Bruno Silva in Could, however seemed each bit his age throughout the later phases of his defeat to Anders.
Simply over one month after the defeat, Weidman appeared at UFC 311’s weigh-in present, saying he would ‘now not’ be combating for the promotion, which a number of MMA followers thought was a retirement announcement.
However he did not rule out combating elsewhere, claiming that he was ‘opening a brand new chapter’ in his life, and evidently that’s the case following GFL’s announcement.
“The elephant within the room is I simply retired from the UFC,” Weidman stated throughout the GFL broadcast.
“Lots of people thought I used to be performed combating. I didn’t know. I assumed perhaps I’m performed combating. I used to be sort of open to different alternatives outdoors of the UFC, nevertheless it needed to be good.
“This can be a league the place there’s loads of guys that I’ve a historical past with. You’ve obtained Luke Rockhold, you’ve obtained Gegard Mousasi, you’ve obtained Uriah Corridor.
“Rockhold was my first loss ever. That was a tricky tablet for me to swallow. We have been imagined to rematch a bunch of instances in UFC, nevertheless it by no means occurred.
“So that might be a struggle I’d like to have. Uriah Corridor broke my rattling leg in my final struggle. He was a gentleman about it, however we had fought twice.
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“…It’s older dudes that I’ve loads of historical past with. I like to compete and we make a complete lot of cash. It’s not one thing I actually really feel like I can say no to. It’s actually an thrilling time for me.”
The previous UFC middleweight champion was chosen as Crew New York’s second decide within the GFL draft.
GFL is MMA’s latest promotion and can launch in April 2025 with a team-based idea after securing funding from tech buyers in Silicon Valley.
The brand-new promotion will characteristic six groups throughout 4 continents, with venues booked in ten cities worldwide.
Every crew will encompass 20 fighters throughout ten weight courses, a singular characteristic of the GFL, as all bouts will reportedly function beneath a catchweight system.
Weidman dropped the UFC middleweight title to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 in 2015 on the identical card as Conor McGregor’s well-known knockout win over Jose Aldo.
Chris Weidman’s 5 UFC title bouts
- Received UFC middleweight title towards Anderson Silva at UFC 162 on July 6, 2013, ending the latter’s 17-fight unbeaten streak
- Defended belt in rematch with Silva 5 months later at UFC 168
- Beat Lyoto Machida in second title defence at UFC 175 on July 5, 2014 by way of unanimous choice, profitable Struggle of the Evening
- Stopped Vitor Belfort within the first spherical at UFC 187 on Could 23, 2015 in third title defence
- Misplaced UFC middleweight title to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 on December 12, 2015 – the identical card Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo
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His struggle towards Uriah Corridor at UFC 261 in 2021 can be famend as having witnessed one of the vital brutal accidents of all time.
Weidman silenced the sold-out area in Florida after breaking his leg simply 17 seconds into the bout.
It was confirmed after the struggle that he had suffered a compound fracture to his tibia and fibula.
GFL have signed former UFC champion Tyron Woodley to their roster, in addition to different ex-UFC stars similar to Fabricio Werdum, Anthony Pettis, Luke Rockhold and Alexander Gustafsson.
The promotion has obtained a combined response from fight sports activities followers world wide.
MMA journalist Ariel Helwani stated on Monday that the construction of it ‘would not work’, saying it ‘runs counter to what struggle sports activities ought to be’.