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Chris Weidman really thought that his career was over.
When the former average weight champion announced his retirement during the weighing leading to UFC 311 In January, Weidman was seriously to hang up his gloves and move away from sport. It was not necessarily the sequence of events that he wanted to end his career, but the 40 -year -old veteran felt that it was really the best thing for him when he made the decision.
“After my fight with (Eryk) Anders, this fight for me was simply horrible in my mind,” said Weidman speaking to MMA’s fights. “I was just like what I do?” What is the point now? So I thought I might make one (more fight) and I would put the gloves. I didn’t feel well in this fight. I did not work well. So that’s where I was. Make a (more) and put the gloves.
“The UFC was fighting me in a way. I don’t think they really wanted me to do that. I’m like good. They were cool if I left and did my own thing. It is sort of how it happened.
Although it was not necessarily the exit he had imagined, Weidman understood why the UFC almost seemed against him to come back for one more fight after his dull exit against Erk otherwise Last December.
This fight ended with a KO in the second round after Anders Matraqué Weidman with a series of punches on the ground which left the referee other than to stop the fight. It was a bad night at the office for Weidman and as much as he wanted to have him back up one last time, he also understood why the UFC was against the idea.
“Really, when I spoke to my wife and things right after, I’m like I think I was done,” said Weidman. “I’m just going to retire and then I was like maybe I’m going to make one more. By then, the UFC was as if you should just be finished. Very well, maybe you’re right.
“Their point was that you were making one more fight here, you are on the prelime, you win, you will always want to fight more. You will never be really satisfied with your last fight. They make room for these young people and arrivals. So I have it. The UFC for me at my age, where I am, is not the best position for me.
In the end, the UFC gave Weidman time in the weighing show to announce his retirement and he was able to think about his career for a long segment that was really granted to anyone else.
It was not necessarily the image he had in his mind for his last appearance at the UFC, but Weidman also understood the hesitation of the promotion to put it back in the cage for another fight given its last performance.
To tell the truth, Weidman finally understood the position of the UFC with regard to his career at the end, but he admits by looking back now that there was a really disappointing moment which was subjected to his skin.
“The only one (moment) that disturbed me, which I have made them (who made them), then they gave their reasons why and I understand,” Weidman revealed. “I am quite logical and I can see things on both sides quite well and I can remove my ego. But it was UFC 309 was the one I was supposed to be on the main map, they promoted it all the time that I was going to open the card. I was super excited about this in New York. The week before the fight, they removed me from the main card and put me on the preliminaries. I was what hell?
“I was super excited to be on the main map to open it. But they had their reasons. In my mind, the fight would be completely different if I was in a different location but it is not realistic. Who knows. It was not a good fight for me. It was not a big fight that I even think to watch. They made the right decision. It was the only time I was disturbed because all the time you expect to open à la carte payment in New York, Madison Square Garden. So it excited me, then when they changed it, it bothered me.
Weidman did not end up playing on this card after Anders fell ill with food poisoning, so the match was postponed for a few weeks for UFC 310 instead.
Suffering the defeat – his third in four fights – left Weidman in a difficult position, which is why he made the decision to retire. Even then, Weidman admitted that there were probably still options available for him, perhaps by crossing boxing as so many UFC veterans had done it before, but he really thought he had Already fought for the last time in MMA.
Then four days later, Weidman was announced as part of the inaugural class of recovery for the Global Fight League – a promotion arrived with many former UFC champions in a team format with the first event that should be launched in April.
“The whole thing was a surprise for me,” said Weidman. “I retired, I did the weighing show. I said that I was going to leave my opportunities open, (leave) my door open and see what opportunities arise. I didn’t think the MMA was really going to be interesting because I didn’t think the money would be there.
“I heard that GFL money has dried a little. They already had all their people, already on contract with tons of guys. I knew another guy who was a big name who was trying to go to the GFL and they were not interested. So my manager and I both thought that it was not an option. At the time, I thought I was probably finished. The next thing I know, things have started to move. Now I’m in the GFL.
Weidman says he learned from the GFL that the organization was interested in signing it, but even then, his initial reaction was not only signed with them immediately.
“My manager was trying to tell me about it on Monday and Tuesday and I’m like I didn’t even want to make decisions and locked us in something,” said Weidman. “The money was really good and they sent me the first contract on Thursday.
“So the day before the project they had. I signed later in the evening Thursday after my manager crossed it and everything. So it happened very quickly. It is also a little shock for me.
Regarding the reaction of the UFC to Weidman retired, then at the signing of the GFL a few days later?
“They had brought me,” Weidman revealed. “As” listen if you can go elsewhere and make money by doing MMA or boxing, no more power for you. ” It was not as if they were going to be in shock.
“There were no real discussions. Before closing the door with them, they fully understood everything I decided to do, they will support. »»
