Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman announced his retirement from professional mixed marital arts on Friday after 15 years competing in the sport.
Weidman, 40, retires with a 16-8 record and a career filled with highs and lows.
The longtime Serra-Longo Fight Team member began his MMA career in 2009 as a two-time All-American Division 1 collegiate wrestler, and debuted in the UFC in 2011 with just his fifth pro fight.
Weidman amassed a 5-0 UFC record and was granted a title shot in 2013 against the great Anderson Silva. Weidman became the 185-pound champion in 2013 when he knocked Silva out at UFC 162.
Less than sixth months after winning the title, Weidman defeated Silva a second time when he blocked a kick that left Silva with a severely broken leg.
Weidman picked up title defences against former champions Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort to add to his legacy before losing the title to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 in 2015.
After beginning his career 13-0, Weidman was knocked out in five of six fights, dealing with multiple injuries along the way, then, in 2021, he broke his leg in gruesome fashion in a fight against Uriah Hall – a loss eerily similar to Silva’s from eight years earlier.
Weidman returned from his broken leg following surgery and a two-year layoff but he was never able to string together consecutive wins since his time as champ.
He fought twice in 2024, beating Bruno Silva in March and losing to Eryk Anders most recently at December’s UFC 310.
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