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Weidman: Who has Anderson actually fought?

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Chris Weidman has attempted to lure Anderson Silva into a UFC middleweight title showdown, claiming the Brazilian has not beaten many big names in his career.

Weidman may well find himself at the top of the 185lb contenders list following Michael Bisping's loss to Vitor Belfort. The American is currently recovering from surgery, but is happy to walk directly into a title fight.

Silva has no obvious next opponent and, while the champion appears happy to pursue other ventures until a challenge emerges, the UFC will be keen to keep its top star active. Silva has beaten the likes of Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, Belfort and Forrest Griffin in a stellar career, but Weidman is not impressed.

"Everyone's saying I don't have a big name, but if you look at everybody he's fought, he hasn't fought the biggest names in the world. I'm not putting anybody down, but no one was a huge name I don't think," Weidman told the MMA Hour.

"Chael Sonnen is probably the biggest name. I could be totally wrong, but [Patrick] Cote, Demian Maia, Thales Leites, if you go down the list, I think I accomplished more than those guys before they got the title shot.

"Right now I think I'm the most deserving to get it if they want to make the [Silva] fight right away. I just don't know if Anderson Silva will be interested. All the people who think I'm going to get killed by Anderson Silva, eventually I really want to prove those guys wrong."

It is widely believed that the answer to Silva's dominance will be a highly athletic wrestler who can control the champion on the ground, as Sonnen almost managed at UFC 117. Weidman is adamant he is that man, insisting he beats Silva in more than one facet of mixed martial arts.

"I'm not going to start saying Anderson Silva is a chicken and scared of me. I do think I am a bad match-up for him. I think I really have him beat in a lot of areas. I don't think he's faced anybody like me before."

Chris Weidman: Who has Anderson actually fought? | UFC News | ESPN.co.uk

Hes really trying to do whatever he can to get a fight with AS, but to say Silva hasnt faught any big names is laughable.

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Originally Posted by BonesKnows (Post 1001200)

Chris Weidman: Who has Anderson actually fought? | UFC News | ESPN.co.uk

Hes really trying to do whatever he can to get a fight with AS, but to say Silva hasnt faught any big names is laughable.

To be fair it's not the best list in MMA.

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Originally Posted by BonesKnows (Post 1001200)

Chris Weidman: Who has Anderson actually fought? | UFC News | ESPN.co.uk

Hes really trying to do whatever he can to get a fight with AS, but to say Silva hasnt faught any big names is laughable.

with the exceptions of a few, weidman is right. Anderson does have some big scalps on his wall, but he's got a lot of crap up there too. For every Dan Henderson, there's a Thales Leites.

Seriously? Weidman's biggest wins are decisioning Maia (who then dropped to WW) and a KO/TKO of Munoz. The elbow to Munoz was very impressive, but I'm still not sold on Weidman getting a titleshot. One impressive win shouldn't get you a titleshot.

Vitor just KO'd Bisping, lost to JBJ on short notice but almost got the sub early, chocked out AJ, and KO'd Sexyama. Yes he was KO'd in highlight reel fashion in his last fight with Silva but that was a very flukey KO (no disrespect to Silva).

I say Silva/Rockhold as a champ vs champ match, Vitor/Weidman for the #1 contender.

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Originally Posted by Qball1974 (Post 1001207)

To be fair it's not the best list in MMA.

Franklin (2), Hendo, Forrest, Mia (who i guess is a big win only for weidman *sarcasm*), Chael (2), Vitor

His list isnt even close to as bad as weidman is making it seem.

Most guys on his list would give Weidman problems. Come on man...earn your shot, don't talk your way into it.

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Originally Posted by the_dark_angel_4ever (Post 1001220)

Yes he was KO'd in highlight reel fashion in his last fight with Silva but that was a very flukey KO (no disrespect to Silva).

I say Silva/Rockhold as a champ vs champ match, Vitor/Weidman for the #1 contender.

Fluky KO? He threw it, it landed. That's not very fluky. That's skill. But I agree with the match ups you mentioned.

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Originally Posted by BonesKnows (Post 1001221)

Franklin (2), Hendo, Forrest, Mia (who i guess is a big win only for weidman *sarcasm*), Chael (2), Vitor

His list isnt even close to as bad as weidman is making it seem.

Honestly if you compare it to GSP and Bones, I'd say he's had the least difficult title defenses out of the three. And that's meant as no disrespect to Silva, MW is just an overall weaker division then LHW or WW.

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Originally Posted by TN94z (Post 1001223)

Most guys on his list would give Weidman problems. Come on man...earn your shot, don't talk your way into it.

But all the cool kids are doing it...

Is it overall a spectacular list? No, but the MW division is kind of weak as it is, so I think that's a part of it. That being said even though I don't like Anderson he has defeated Henderson, Franklin twice, Chael twice, and Vitor over the course of about 6 or 7 years. It's not as impressive as say GSP's resume or Jones current run, but it's probably more impressive than any other fighter at MW, as MW is a weak division.

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Originally Posted by KevoOnTheRadio (Post 1001224)

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Originally Posted by TN94z (Post 1001223)

Most guys on his list would give Weidman problems. Come on man...earn your shot, don't talk your way into it.

But all the cool kids are doing it...

Damn you Chael, you....... you trendsetter, you......

To be fair, the UFC did what they always do - they hyped up Thales Leites as this big stud, huge prospect, 14-0 or 14-1 record at the time, etc. etc., taking on the champ. I remember this was one of the first AS fights I ever watched, and I was thinking as it unfolded, "This dude (Leites) sucks." Not impressed at all with Leites.

As far as Weidman goes, he has a decent shot IMO.