‘I Was Gonna Put My Gloves Down’

Chris Weidman returned to the win column at UFC Atlantic City this past weekend (March 30, 2024).

The descent from championship status has been bumpy for the “All-American.” Weidman, 39, lost his Middleweight title against Luke Rockhold via a fourth round technical knockout at UFC 194 in December 2015. Since then, Weidman’s gone 3-6 in nine fights (16-7 overall) with a gruesome leg break along the way.

A homecoming victory came by a unanimous decision for Weidman against Bruno Silva at UFC Atlantic City. However, it wasn’t without some controversy, as the result came earlier after a pair of eye pokes rendered Silva unable to continue (watch highlights). Weidman’s leg break in April 2021 looked like the possible end of his career, but he’s now 1-1 since and could have put a bow on his journey had he lost.

“Yeah, I think,” Weidman said on The MMA Hour when asked if he’d have retired with a loss to Silva. “Unless I — yeah, I think I probably would have retired if I didn’t perform out there. If he came at me and beat the crap out of me, yeah, I was thinking I was gonna put my gloves down. I didn’t really even tell my wife or anybody that.

“In the back of my head, I was like … because all my training partners, my coaches, everybody, they think I’m better than ever,” he continued. “They can’t believe how good I am, they think I can become one of the best guys in the world again. In my head, I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve done everything already, and I know my potential, and I know what they see. I know I can be in there with anybody.’ But if I’m not able to put it together in the UFC, in the cage, in front of everybody, then I’m not gonna do it anymore. So, if I didn’t perform well, I think I was done.”

Although he’s approaching age 40, Weidman admitted he saw no reason to retire after the win he ultimately achieved. The former champion absorbed some damage to his eye, leaving him to take some time off before he sets up his next bout.

“I felt so good that unless I couldn’t perform in there then I don’t think I should be done,” Weidman said.