Former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman Retires at UFC 311 Weigh-In Show

Jan 17, 2025, 07:21 PM

Chris Weidman, the former UFC middleweight champion, has announced his retirement from the UFC during the weigh-in show for UFC 311. At 40 years old, Weidman, who started his professional career in 2009, expressed gratitude towards the UFC and its staff for the opportunities provided over his 14-year tenure. His career highlights include a stunning knockout victory over Anderson Silva to win the middleweight title in 2013, and subsequent title defenses against Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. Weidman's last fight was a TKO loss to Eryk Anders at UFC 310 in December 2024. Despite a challenging latter part of his career, marked by multiple knockout losses and a severe leg injury at UFC 261 similar to the one he inflicted on Silva, Weidman, who has undergone 30 surgeries, leaves the door open for potential opportunities outside the UFC.