Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is currently gearing up for his UFC 210 scrap with Gegard Mousasi in less than two weeks, where he will look to snap a 2-fight skid and move one step closer to potential reclaiming the UFC middleweight title.
Ahead of his scrap with Mousasi, the former champ knows that he is in a must-win situation at UFC 210. He spoke to Submission Radio to discuss the situation, and where he feels he has the advantage over Mousasi, a seasoned MMA veteran:
“I think my pressure, my size, strength, I think my range. You know, I’m pretty long and the way I’m able to mix it up in the striking for the wrestling. I mean, I think he got outstruck by Lyoto Machida and I outstruck Lyoto Machida. So if we really wanna go down the striking game, I’m confident with that too. So anywhere this fight is, I’m gonna feel comfortable. And the fact is that I can dictate this fight. I can take this fight to the ground and he’s gonna be losing down there. And his biggest weakness is also his biggest strength – he’s very relaxed, which is a great trait, but sometimes him being relaxed, before you know it the fight’s over and he didn’t get the job done. So I’m gonna make him panic. He’s gonna realize that he’s got three rounds to win. To the judges, you can’t just sit back, get taken down and think it’s okay. You know, you’re gonna lose, and especially with me on top of him. He’s not going to be able to relax like maybe he’s relaxed with other people when he gets taken down. He’s really gonna have to worry about the big ground and pound and the submissions.”
While he feels he has quite a few advantages over Mousasi, the former champ believes he could be in for a TKO:
“I think a TKO. A TKO in round two.”
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/22/2017.