Earlier today, the next fight for the UFC Middleweight Championship has been announced as Rockhold vs. Weidman II, this time with roles reversed. Chris Weidman will be returning as challenger, after losing his title to Luke Rockhold in December at UFC 194.
The bout has been speculated as the next move for the UFC for some time, but was finally made official today by UFC President Dana White. Although the date is unset as of yet, the bout is confirmed as the main event of UFC 199.
The rightful contender for the Middleweight title has been something of a complicated story recently, as on the same night that Weidman lost his title, Yoel Romero defeated Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza in what was supposedly a number one contenders bout. Despite the victory, many felt that Romero’s win (via-split decision) was far from impressive, and as such his position as the next man for the belt was under question.
To add even more confusion, post-fight after winning the title, new champion Rockhold instead implicated his preference for a rematch with Brazilian Vitor Belfort, a long time rival. Add in Weidman’s clamouring for a rematch of his own, and the UFC’s decision was far from certain.
“We’ve talked and from what I see there’s a couple of fights on the table. There’s Yoel Romero and there’s Chris Weidman,” Rockhold told FOX Sports in January. “I think Chris Weidman, he’s been the longtime reigning champion, I know he’s begging for a shot. He’s been harassing [UFC President] Dana from what I understand since the day after the fight and I’m not opposed to giving him what he wants if he really likes it.”
Then, things got a bit clearer. In January, Romero failed an out of contest drug test (the biggest casualty so far in the new testing procedures carried out by USADA), and will likely be suspended after his due-process is complete.
Related Link: The USADA Era is Underway as January Shows Increased Drug Testing
Then it was announced that Belfort would be facing Jacare at a May event in Brazil, leaving Rockhold with one sole contender for the belt. And so in June, we’ll see Weidman and Rockhold, the two ‘new-era’ fighters face off again.
The bout was announced by White in an interview with Garbage Time’s Katie Nolan.
.@katienolan with another scoop! @LukeRockhold will rematch @ChrisWeidmanUFC in June #GTLive https://t.co/FPRrmAP9og
— Garbage Time (@GarbageTime) February 3, 2016
After his loss, Weidman has been emphatic in his insistence that the loss was a benefit, as opposed to a negative. Just two days after his loss, Weidman posted a picture on his Instagram, with the caption:
“I will remember this moment for ever. It has already changed me for the better. The motivation I have inside myself has never been stronger. I did not feel like myself in there for many reasons but it was a loss that I needed and deserved. I have been playing back different moments in the fight where i didn’t do or react the way I should have but this was all part of a true master plan that God has in store for me. I will be back and I will be champion again. I just wanna let everyone know that I am ok. I am so blessed with an amazing family, friends, team and fans. Thank you all so much for the support. It means more now than ever.”
The fact the fight takes place at UFC 199 is something of an eyebrow raiser, as it was only a couple of weeks ago that the champion mentioned his desire to not be on the card, instead preferring an appearance on July’s mega-card UFC 200.
“I would say (I’d like to return in) May, June or July, but UFC 200 would be cool,” Rockhold told MMAjunkie Radio in early January. “I don’t want to be on UFC 199, I’ll tell you that. The hype for 200 will be so big it will take away from 199. Who wants to be on 199? I want to be on 198 or 200. That would be cool, even if I’m not main eventing.”
However, Rockhold vs. Weidman II is not the only bout Dana White announced today. In the same interview, White announced that April will see the return of Jon Jones who will face off with Daniel Cormier for the Light Heavyweight Championship.
Stay tuned to GetMoreSports for updates.
