In 2016, Yoel Romero and Chris Weidman both looked to cement their place at the top of the UFC’s middleweight division as they stepped into the Octagon at UFC 205. With the fight tied at one round each, Romero scored a clutch 3rd round TKO, leaving the former champ on the canvas.

Following the win, Romero was crowned the middleweight #1 contender. UFC President Dana White stated that when middleweight champion Michael Bisping was healthy, he would fight Romero.

Things then took a turn as Georges St-Pierre announced that he had signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, and would be fighting Michael Bisping for the middleweight title. Yoel Romero was then left with no title shot in the opponent.

Former UFC champion Chris Weidman spoke to Fox Sports to discuss the situation.

“Listen, Bisping’s got the golden horseshoe up his ass as champion,” Weidman told FOX Sports on Tuesday. “This guy, I gave him the opportunity to fight for the belt and he made the most of it. He pulled the punch out and knocked out [Luke] Rockhold and became champion and since then he’s fought the No. 14 ranked guy and then a guy that’s on a three-year long layoff.

“This one he’s going to make some good money on, so God bless him and his family but man, look at the guys I was fighting when I was champion.”

“I went through the top of the top,” Weidman said. “I went against Anderson Silva twice, who at that point was debatably still in the prime of his career, had never lost [in the UFC]. The fight before me he beat the crap out of Stephan Bonnar. He didn’t look like he was slowing down at all. I beat him twice.

“Then I get Lyoto Machida, who was on a big winning streak and was the light heavyweight champ and everybody thought was going to be the middleweight champ. He looked unbeatable at middleweight. Then Vitor Belfort, who was on a four-fight winning streak, all knockouts. Then I had Rockhold. Then, this is some set up he’s got going on as the belt holder.”

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 3/9/2017.