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Chris Weidman turned down Belfort to wait for Silva

Chris Weidman turned down Belfort to wait for Silva

http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/meth...23-5-17-99.jpg

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Chris Weidman was a guest on last night's UFC Tonight, and in an interview with Ariel Helwani revealed that he was offered several fights, including Vitor Belfort, but turned them down so he could take a potential fight with Anderson Silva:

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"From what I am being told, it is a fight that the UFC would want to make happen. Now, it is just confusing. I don't know what is going on. I am waiting to find out from Dana White. I didn't take a couple of fights from people challenging me, like (Vitor) Belfort, so I could take the Silva fight. But, now it is all up in the air. I don't know what is going on."

"I don't have any deadlines, but I am young and I want to make the most of my career. I have a lot of respect for the guy, I think he is the greatest of all time and I look up to him. I think I am the biggest challenge to him and I think his camp knows that and I think he should challenge me."

"Hey man, just give me a chance. Obviously I think I am going to beat you and it is a tough one for me to tell you to do. You had one fight when you got the chance, so just give me my opportunity, just give me the fight."

Chris Weidman turned down Belfort to wait for Silva - Mixed Martial Arts News

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"You had one fight when you got the chance, so just give me my opportunity, just give me the fight."

OH NO he Didnt!

In all seriousness I agree with Weidman. Others have gotten a shot at Anderson while doing alot less then Weidman has done, hes just(deservingly) asking for one chance. And as the champion, Anderson should feel this is a winnable fight, he should have no problem offering this young guy a chance.

I think it sucks that he turned down a couple of paydays trying to fight Anderson, and now he might not be getting that fight any time soon. He will have to take another fight now because silva won't be fighting again this year.

Inb4 Silva fanboys "Weidman is ducking belfort"

In all seriousness tho, he does pose a threat but Silva just has "it" factor about him, he will always find a way to win. Weidman shouldnt lose time waiting tho, gain some more experience bc you will need it against Silva.

Really thought we would have Silva/Weidman by the end of the year too. Still the only way i think Anderson get anyone other Than Chris for his next fight is if Chris takes another fight before 2013 and loses I don't think an impressive win from Belcher, Vitor,Bisping, or Boestch should or will garner a title shot.

Sure, Anderson got a title shot after one fight in the UFC, but he was already a known fighter at that point. Also, the UFC really didn't have the level of talent that it does now in the MW division.

Weidman should have taken the Belfort fight. If he would have won that fight, there would have been no doubt he deserved to fight Anderson and it would have made him a more recognizable name and a better ppv seller. I"m not sold on him yet. Only way I would give him a shot is if he signs something saying that he will retire upon losing. There's just too many guys now demanding title shots in the media and if they are confident as they say, they should prove it by putting something on the line. He has to offer something besides a win of Munoz, who I really didn't have ranked in the top 10 solidly. IMO he needs a win off a big name, which he absolutely does not have.

Hard to say to the champ and p4p best in the world "hey don't turn down a fight with me, I've got 9 little wins" when you just turned down fights yourself?

If the dude is so confident, and he's healthy, then he should fight another top level contender. Don't pull a Rashad and miss out on some nice paydays just because you might be able to fight Anderson sometime next year. And that's IF the UFC doesn't make GSP vs. Spider first.

Chris is a threat to Anderson and everyone else at MW...the dude is for real. He will fight before too long IMO, ethier Anderson or someone else

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Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE (Post 959518)

Weidman should have taken the Belfort fight. If he would have won that fight, there would have been no doubt he deserved to fight Anderson and it would have made him a more recognizable name and a better ppv seller. I"m not sold on him yet. Only way I would give him a shot is if he signs something saying that he will retire upon losing. There's just too many guys now demanding title shots in the media and if they are confident as they say, they should prove it by putting something on the line. He has to offer something besides a win of Munoz, who I really didn't have ranked in the top 10 solidly. IMO he needs a win off a big name, which he absolutely does not have.

Munoz was consistently ranked 3rd or 4th behind Sonnen and Silva.

Vitor doesn't actually have high ranking wins at MW. He beat Franklin (catch weight), Akiyama, and lost to Silva.

Weidman has earned his ranking and the sport is supposed to be about fighting the people who have earned a title shot through ranking, not through branding.

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Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE (Post 959518)

Sure, Anderson got a title shot after one fight in the UFC, but he was already a known fighter at that point. Also, the UFC really didn't have the level of talent that it does now in the MW division.

Anderson earned his after going 1-0 in the UFC, Weidman earned his after going 5-0 in the UFC. And just as Silva got to move up quickly because of past success and a lack of divisional talent; Weidman is moving up more quickly than he might in another division because of success and that Silva has already cleared out so many contenders.

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Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE (Post 959518)

Hard to say to the champ and p4p best in the world "hey don't turn down a fight with me, I've got 9 little wins" when you just turned down fights yourself?

If you read the article, he notes that he didn't respond to Vitor calling him out, looking instead for the title shot he was granted. Vitor/Belcher was booked long before all this nonsense with Silva really started. And, now, Weidman is saying "I don't know what is going on."

The title is misleading, he didn't turn down Vitor in order to wait indefinitely. Instead, he stood by for his earned title shot while not being aware that Silva wouldn't fight again until 2013 until long after Vitor/Belcher was booked.

My ONLY issue with Weidman not taking the fight with Vitor, is that HAD he taken the fight and won, I don't see any possible argument that Anderson could've made to get out of fighting Weidman on the spot. As of right now, Anderson can question Weidman's name value, mainstream recognition, PPV drawing power and resume(Munoz and Maia), while I think a win over Vitor shuts up all of those issues.