Ray Longo fully expects Chris Weidman to fight again.
Weidman sufferd a gruesome injury in April 2021 in which he snapped his right leg in a TKO loss to Uriah Hall. The former UFC middleweight champion received a titanium rod through the middle of his shin bone when he underwent surgery and is eager to return despite the grueling process.
Longo supports the decision of his longtime student, and has received good word from those around Weidman (15-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) about his progress in training.
“He’s definitely fighting again,” Longo told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m going to say that’s 100 percent and in the gym, he had guys that he was training with – I was at a fight, Ring of Combat, maybe a couple of months ago, and his guys were in the dressing room telling me the guy’s an animal. He’s just dropping people in the gym and that leg is stronger than it ever was. I just asked Chris and he said he’s kicking like a mule with it, which is insanity to me. So he sounds great. He’s still a major problem in the room.
“Anthony Smith did that thing how this guy lost a couple of fights (and) it’s beyond him because he still does have it. He’s just got to do it now when he gets in the octagon. So I don’t think he wants to go out like that. I think any discussions would be after the next fight, but he’s 100 percent dialed in. That’s who he is. He doesn’t want to go out with people remembering him like that. So he’s definitely fighting again for sure, and I support really whatever he does at this point.”
Weidman recently revealed he’s targeting a July return, and plans on staying at middleweight despite the long layoff. The 38-year-old competed for the first time since his injury when he lost a decision to Owen Livesey in a grappling match at Polaris 23 in March.
