Former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman Retires at 40 After TKO Loss to Eryk Anders

Jan 17, 2025, 07:37 PM

Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, aged 40, announced his retirement from mixed martial arts during the UFC 311 weigh-in show. He concluded his professional career with a record of 16-8, including a 12-8 record in the UFC. His most recent fight was a TKO loss to Eryk Anders at UFC 310 in December. Weidman's career highlights include a stunning knockout victory over Anderson Silva to win the middleweight title in 2013, followed by a successful title defense against Silva in a rematch where Silva suffered a leg injury. Weidman defended his belt twice more against Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort before losing it to Luke Rockhold in 2015. Despite a challenging latter part of his career, marked by multiple knockout losses and a severe leg injury against Uriah Hall in 2021, Weidman expressed gratitude towards the UFC and its community for the opportunities provided throughout his career. He hinted at being open to future opportunities outside the UFC but is excited to move on to the next chapter of his life, having undergone 30 surgeries during his career.