Chris Weidman. Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Is this the end of the road for ex-UFC champion Chris Weidman?

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 3/26/24

It was a long road back for former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman (15-7) after he suffered a broken leg during his UFC 261 bout against Uriah Hall (17-11).

His two-year, four-month layoff ended last August when he fought Brad Tavares (20-9) at UFC 292, though he clearly didn’t look like the same fighter he was pre-injury.

After losing that fight to Tavares via unanimous decision (it was the first time he lost a fight that went to a decision), many began to wonder if Weidman's time in the octagon was coming to a close.

Weidman addressed that very thing just days before his next scheduled fight against Bruno Silva at UFC on ESPN 54 on March 30.

“I’m not really looking at the result of this fight to make the decision if it’s my last one,” Weidman told MMA Fighting. “I’m really going to be gauging if it’s my last one or not on how I feel during this training camp. So probably two things — my motivation… [and] my pain — how much pain I have every single day, is my body done? Can I still hold up?”

Chris Weidman says feels great mentally and physically ahead of #UFCAtlanticCity

"I know what it sounds like and I get it. The coaches think if I wanted to, if i have the energy to do it, I could be the best in the world again.”

▶️ https://t.co/OH27L2kDBP #TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/E5o4g9Kaws
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) March 25, 2024

Weidman also disclosed the long road he took in his recovery to get back to the UFC. The 39-year-old had 10 surgeries on his right leg that included an additional four surgeries because the initial procedures didn’t go according to plan due to the extensive damage.

A titanium rod was inserted into Weidman’s knee joint that runs down the rest of his leg, which affects not only his stability and mobility but also his ability to throw and check leg kicks plus escape submissions.

“Now I don’t have the muscle in my lower leg like I used to, to protect my knee and to protect my leg,” Weidman continued. “My quad, everything just atrophied. Then I got the nerve issues from the bone popping through the skin like that and the muscle. The muscle, the nerve, there’s just tons of things going on in there. There’s a lot that you’ve got to deal with.”

Weidman has lost four of his last five fights, and a defeat to Silva later this month could prompt UFC president Dana White to encourage Weidman to retire.

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