C. Weidman (photo) is a former UFC champion. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
The conquest of the UFC middleweight belt by Michael Bisping It was one of the most surprising events of the year so far. The former category champion, Chris Weidman, still hasn't digested the fact that the Englishman is at the top of the 84 kg division, which he considers “surreal” and “embarrassing” for other athletes at the weight.
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Originally, Weidman was going to be the first challenger to Luke Rockhold for the title, in rematch of the duel that took place in December last year. However, he was injured and ended up being replaced at the last minute by Bisping, who, in the end, knocked out Rockhold and won the belt.
Weidman recognizes that Bisping deserved the title, but doesn't see him in the champion position for a long time. “There is a chance that he will hit Dan Henderson [his first title defense, in October], but I don't think there's much chance of him beating anyone else in the top 5. It's surreal when people ask me who the champion is in my division and I have to say it's Michael Bisping. It's kind of embarrassing, but that's the way it is. Merits to him, who knocked out Luke Rockhold in the first round. But I don't think he's the best champion I've ever seen. He had his merits, but before that, he was in the UFC for a long time and never fought for the belt. So, seeing him fight for the belt and become champion is definitely a strange thing to digest,” he commented, in an interview with “The MMA Hour” podcast.
Bisping will make his first title defense in October, against his former tormentor Dan Henderson. The fight will be the main attraction of UFC 204, in Manchester, England.
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