Chris Weidman ‘Would Consider’ Jump To Light Heavyweight
After suffering three consecutive losses to Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman finally got back to his winning ways last month in the main event of UFC on FOX 25, submitting Kelvin Gastelum on Long Island.
Weidman remains one of the division’s top contenders, although a path back to a title shot isn’t completely clear at the moment. Champion Michael Bisping hasn’t defended his title since last October, but he’s set to take on returning former longtime welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 217 on Nov. 4, 2017. The winner of that fight will likely take on interim titleholder Robert Whittaker.
While Weidman admitted that he’d ready to replace either Bisping or St. Pierre if need be, he also said that he ‘would consider’ a jump up to light heavyweight:
“My goal is to be the champ and there’s no way of me getting to have the belt for two years or more just based on other people taking their time with taking fights,” Weidman told Submission Radio. “It’s a weird place to be, it’s not interesting. I mean, if 185 doesn’t like, things don’t change, I want to maybe think about possibly going to 205. So if there’s a clear picture to a title at 205, then I would consider that. Let’s see, maybe Bisping or maybe GSP gets injured, I don’t know, and then I’ll be ready to go for November and Bisping won’t be able to scatter away from a guy like me. So that would be something that would work out for me nice for me. I’m in New York, I’m ready to go.”
Weidman has discussed a potential move up in weight in the past, and given the scarcity of the light heavyweight division, now might be the best time.
What are your thoughts on Weidman’s comments?
