Undefeated UFC middleweight prospect Chris Weidman is a nearly 3-to-1 underdog heading into his title fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in July.
Don’t expect that to phase “The All-American” one bit.
When UFC President Dana White addressed the media following UFC 158 Saturday, he said Weidman offered him a half-hearted apology for being the man to dethrone “The Spider” this summer after an incredible 16-0 run inside the Octagon (transcription provided by Bloody Elbow).
"I talked to Chris Weidman myself, and he looked me right in the eye and said, 'I'm telling you, I apologize that I'm going to f**k up your super fights and be your next champion,” White explained.
“‘But what I will do for you is I'll give him an immediate rematch in Madison Square Garden as soon as he loses’ … If you take Anderson Silva out of the mix, the superfights are all gone," White said definitively.
Silva has been pegged for a superfight with either welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre or light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones for quite some time now, but obviously a loss to Weidman would derail either of those plans.
Weidman has been on the shelf for months following shoulder surgery, but he improved his record to 9-0 at UFC on FUEL 4 in July when scored a spectacular knockout over fellow contender Mark Munoz.
On the other hand, Silva hopes to make Weidman successful title defense number 11, last defending his strap against archrival Chael Sonnen at UFC 148, which also took place in July. He won via second round TKO.
Silva decided to stay active by fighting Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153 in October in a light heavyweight bout, easily knocking out the original “Ultimate Fighter” runner-up in the opening frame.
Will the undefeated grappling ace have what it takes to unseat The Spider or will he simply be another victim on the Anderson Silva highlight reel?