Chris Weidman Eyes Crushing Colby Covington Then Making Some Call Outs at RAF 9
Chris Weidman will don the wrestling singlet once again and he will clash with one of the current biggest names under the Real American Freestyle banner. It all goes down on May 30th at RAF 9 when Weidman tests skills with Colby Covington in the co-main event of the shoot professional wrestling card.
The All-American’ posted a tweet right after Covington called him out after ‘Chaos’ bested Dillon Danis in RAF with Weidman accepting Covington’s offer. When asked if he was watching live and saw the call-out coming in, Weidman said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“I was watching it, and then I didn’t see that match live. I started getting text messages. I was at one of my kid’s wrestling events, one of the tournaments, a few hours away from my house. So we were back in the hotel. I started watching it. Then I was talking to all the parents and stuff. Things got busy, and so I didn’t watch it live, but then I started seeing people text me ‘you just got called out’ and I’m like ‘by who?’ Then it was Colby. I’m like okay, let’s do it.”
Weidman’s wrestling pedigree is evident as it advanced him to becoming a member of the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame. When touching upon how cool it is getting reconnected to a discipline that has served him in life while his kid is also on their own journey within competitive wrestling, Weidman stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Well, wrestling changed my life. I don’t know where I’d be without wrestling. So I owe so much to that sport. It formed me physically, formed me mentally, and even spiritually. It’s the best sport in the world, and so anytime I get an opportunity to do it. I’m a 41-year-old, I’ve never got paid to wrestle in my life. 2008 was the last time I wrestled. So we’re like 18-19 years ago, whatever it is.”
“I always will consider myself a wrestler. But the funny thing is as I got older and as I accomplished more and more in the MMA world, people forgot that I was a wrestler. The other accolades overrode my prior accolades, and yeah, I love wrestling. It’s an honor to be a part of this.”
Chris Weidman isn’t sure how he’ll look vs. ‘Chaos’ but will target some names with strong RAF 9 win
As far as Colby Covington’s body of work, specifically in RAF so far, he has gotten wins over a former opponent of Weidman’s in Luke Rockhold and the aforementioned Dillon Danis victory. When delving into his thoughts on what the former multi-time UFC welterweight title challenger has been able to do competitively in Real American Freestyle so far, Weidman quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, I think he looks good. He’s doing his thing. He hasn’t wrestled in a while, and he’s back in the wrestling world. He’s getting some wins over some big-name guys, and yeah, he looks good. So it should be a tough match. Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis, I don’t think [they] are my level in terms of wrestling and grappling and all that. So it’s going to be a little bit harder for him, but we’ll see what he’s got.”
Espousing his thoughts on if this a singular contest-oriented pursuit, and if he is looking at it in a vacuum of Covington being an intriguing opponent or if is there a broader vision of having multiple RAF matches after the dust settles on Saturday, Weidman said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Oh yeah. I mean the goal is always to wrestle the best. Get in there and feel them all out and have that experience. So I go out there, and I feel good and I crush Colby, I’ll get on the mic, and I’ll call some people out. I’m down to keep this going, but we’ll see how I feel on my first one. I haven’t wrestled in a really long time, and we’ll see. We’ll see how I look. I’m interested. I’m interested, just like everybody else is interested. I’m not sure. I don’t know what’s going to happen [laughter].”
Fighters can become galvanized in many regards when training for a specific date with a high-level competition locked in for a defined day and time. Articulating his feelings on if that was a component he was missing amidst his retirement from mixed martial arts, Weidman stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yes. That’s like one of the biggest things I miss about MMA is just having a date set where you get your whole life in order. You get organized in your life. You’re eating healthy. You’re working out, mentally and spiritually. You’re in such a good place. It really is the ultimate place that you would want to live your life. Even if you didn’t have a competition to do. But when you have a competition to do, it’s way easier to live that life.”
“So yeah, I like that it’s 200 pounds. So that means I got to eat healthy, get my weight down. I feel so much better, just healthier. I’m a big dude, I got tons of issues from surgeries and stuff. The smaller I get, the less painful it is on my knees and stuff like that. So, this is only a good thing for me.”
Real American Freestyle has struck a great balance, in the eyes of many, between enlisting competitors who have name value from mixed martial arts and also spotlighting people who don’t ordinarily get that kind of presence within the MMA space by virtue of principally being known on amateur wrestling circuits.
As someone who’s obviously had great experience in both sports, speaking to that dynamic that RAF strikes with the MMA leaning marketing approach but appealing to the roots of wrestling culture/ tradition, Weidman quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Oh my gosh, I love it for the sport of wrestling. So amazing even for like my kids and the younger generation. There was never really a place to go where you can make money like real money. It’s like you could literally make a good living wrestling in RAF. So it’s nice to have that opportunity available to you, and I think it’s really motivating for everybody in the wrestling world. To learn how to promote, learn how to get better and better at wrestling.”
“Because RAF is bringing in the best wrestlers, and then they’re bringing in MMA guys with the names you know. They’re just putting a big spotlight on the sport of wrestling, and they’re doing an absolutely great job. I think it’s amazing for the sport, and I’m so happy they’re doing great. Because I just want this thing to last as long as possible. I’m just so happy. I couldn’t imagine making any money at all wrestling when I was going through my career, and to see these kids having the opportunity to make money.”
“Like I absolutely love it for them. They deserve it. Wrestling is such a tough sport, and you don’t get that much respect when you come home. Like I remember winning some big tournaments and coming back home, and my best friends didn’t even know what I just did. Like nobody really knows. Then I go and fight my first professional fight. It’s against a guy who’s a can. Like somebody that would be like a joke on the wrestling mats. I go out there, submit them in the first round, and everyone’s hitting me up.”
“I got over a hundred text messages, it’s like the biggest deal ever. So, I would love for wrestling to get that type of love because the athletes that I was wrestling on that division one level were such high-level athletes. Nothing like the beginning of my MMA career of the guys I got positioned against in the beginning. It was just like a huge confidence thing. I just knew they weren’t on the same level athletically.”
“I knew mentally they haven’t been through it like I have or what all my prior wrestling opponents did on the higher level. It’s just like that’s why wrestlers are just such a dominant force inside MMA. It’s because one, we learn how to weight cut. We go to the wrestling room, and we work really hard, and the coaches are hard on you. If you aren’t putting the work in, get the hell out of here.”
You go to a jiu-jitsu gym, they’re taking your money regardless of how hard you’re working. You’re getting that stripe on the belt regardless. Wrestlers, you got to earn everything that you get. It was for nothing. It was just for the pride and the love of the game. Now you got the pride, the love of the game, and you got money. Like, it’s just amazing to see.”
