Chris Weidman Returns From Two-Year Layoff to Face Brad Tavares
A huge fight in the Middleweight division has just been announced. Chris Weidman will return from a 28-month layoff to face Brad Tavares on August 10th at UFC 292, per Mark La Monica via NewsdayMMA.
This bout takes place in the Middleweight (185 lbs) division.
Chris Weidman holds a professional record of 15-6 (11-6 UFC) and is unranked in the Middleweight division. He holds notable wins against Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Kelvin Gastelum.
Brad Tavares is also unranked in the Middleweight division, holds a professional record of 19-8 (14-8 UFC), and has credible wins over Omari Akhmedov, Krzysztof Jotko, and Phil Baroni.
Official odds have yet to be released.
Chris Weidman hasn't fought since April 2021. He fought Uriah Hall in a rematch after beating him in 2010, and the bout was highly anticipated. However, Weidman would cruelly snap his leg on a checked kick from Hall just seventeen seconds into the bout. It was one of the nastiest injuries we've ever seen in an MMA octagon before, and the road to recovery has been lengthy. Finally, however, "The All-American" will return to action after nearly two and a half years. The years have been cruel to Weidman, having only secured two wins in his last eight matches. He'll be looking to use his wrestling advantage to secure the victory in his return.
Brad Tavares is one of the most tested veterans in the division. He's fought some of the division's greats, like Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Yoel Romero. But, recently, he's fallen to a two-fight losing streak, losing back-to-back battles against Dricus du Plessis and Bruno Silva. He'll be looking to use his well-rounded game to turn back Weidman and secure his fifteenth UFC victory.
This is an all-veteran matchup in the Middleweight division, with the winner likely securing a ranking inside the top-15. So who do you have winning this matchup? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction with a comment below.
