Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman set for UFC 162 headliner

[No More Sorrow]

As expected, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC) will meet top contender Chris Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) on Independence Day weekend at UFC 162.

MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) previously passed along news of the targeted bout, and Newsday.com today confirmed it as official with UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.


The event takes place July 6 in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.


Weidman has long campaigned for the fight, and though officials initially appeared they'd go another direction, UFC President White ultimately relented this past month and said he'd likely be next for the champion.


Weidman's title hopes recently got a boost when fellow contender Michael Bisping suffered a loss to Vitor Belfort, which cost the Brit a promised a title shot. But Weidman, a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, has put together a worthy body of work, including a perfect 9-0 record and wins over UFC notables such as Mark Munoz and Demian Maia.


He'd face what is clearly his biggest test yet in Silva, who's emerged as arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history with 17 consecutive wins, 16 straight UFC victories and 10 successful title defenses. Most recently, he followed a title win over Chael Sonnen with a non-title victory over Stephan Bonnar in a 205-pound non-title fight in this past October's UFC 153 headliner.


Additional UFC 162 bouts and ticket information are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Kind of glad this fight is official, would love it if Weidman knocked Silva down and took the championship but i just can't see it happening.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

He doesn't deserve this fight at all, but it's not his fault that the middleweight division is brutal. I'm looking forward to this especially since the place I go to, it's in Long Island in the hometown of Weidman.

 

[Deezy]

This will be as competitive as Silva/Okami

Here's hoping Anderson starts dancing during this fight and tool this kid until Dana starts screaming at the side of the cage again.

 

[The Cork]

Can see Andy ending the kids career, tbh.

Not in a "Weidmann gets brutal beating and has to retire", but he's gonna get clowned so badly he'll never be the same again. See what happened to Griffin, Bonnar, Okami or Maia and apply it here.

 

[Troy]

I can see why Weidman is getting a shot but I don't think that he is ready for it. Silva is just so far out of his league and is just going to be toying with him. I hope for Weidman's sake that he will be able to get some offence in and be a bit competitive but I don't have high hopes.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Can see Andy ending the kids career, tbh.

Not in a "Weidmann gets brutal beating and has to retire", but he's gonna get clowned so badly he'll never be the same again. See what happened to Griffin, Bonnar, Okami or Maia and apply it here.

Pretty much. Really rather than giving this kid the shot simply because while everyone else was fighting he was injured and thus didn't lose they should have given him someone who can bridge the gap between a fighter the level of fatty Munoz and the Anderson Silva level.

Weidman hasn't even fought a Bisping level fighter, or a Vitor, or a Okami. The difference between Silva - the rest of the division - the guys Weidman has fought is huge.

Vitor-Silva II makes more sense.

 

[Chase]

This is as bad as when Tales Laities got the title shot against Silva. Undercard will need to be good if they want me to order this ppv.