Chris Weidman out of UFC 199, Luke Rockhold to now face Michael Bisping

Chris Weidman (13-1) faced off against Luke Rockhold (15-2) in a losing effort at UFC 194, giving up his UFC Middleweight Title in the process. A rematch was what fans were craving for between these two skilled fighters. The match was set for UFC 199 on June 4th. Unfortunately, an injury has sidelined Weidman out of the card. This is another unfortunate loss that has altered the main event of a PPV for the UFC.

In the midst of the announcement, Weidman wanted to clear the air. He made a statement on his Facebook page to explain the extent of his injury. No matter what the doctors said, he would not give in. Weidman would not stop until he won back “his” title. However, there came a point when the man had to listen to his peers and let down his guard.

It is great to see a fighter who is passionate enough to want to fight through something. In a perfect world,  Rockhold will still be the champion by the time he gets back. A rematch for the title screams a big-time profit, and UFC President Dana White understands that. It is unknown the timetable for his return, but the hope is its sooner rather than later. Like Weidman said in his post, if he is healthy enough, expect him to compete in his territory (New York) on November 12^th at Madison Square Garden.

Now what?

As the saying goes, the show must go on. There were various opponents that seemed right for Rockhold, but Dana White chose the most deserving fighter for the shot. According to MMAFighting.com, he announced that Michael Bisping (28-7) will now face Rockhold for the UFC Middleweight Title.

httpss://twitter.com/danawhite/status/732983324583546880?lang=en

Bisping has been put in a very interesting situation. He has never earned a title shot in nine years with the UFC. The two do have history with one another: Rockhold defeated Bisping in 2014 and a rematch between the two never came into fruition. At UFC 199, both fighters have a chance to renew their rivalry. This opportunity that Bisping has been given will provide him the stage to prove himself as a true contender after all of these years.

The only issue I see here is the timing. The last-minute bout between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz may have been hard-hitting, but the lack of buildup (promotional and training wise) was obvious. McGregor was training for Rafael dos Anjos and the fight/preparation took a toll on his body. The same could be said for Jon “Bones” Jones, who was supposed to face Daniel Cormier at UFC 197. With a little more time to prepare compared to the previous fighters, it will be interesting to see how Rockhold and Bisping can handle the challenge.

If done right, Dana White will once again be considered a genius. If Bisping was to win, there could be various opportunities on the horizon for the Middleweight division. A third match could also be very possible between the two. If Rockhold were to retain, Weidman would be right there to knock on the door.

With a new main event, UFC 199 is looking to become a delectable appetizer for UFC 200. Rockhold has a chance to continue his dominance. Here’s hoping that Weidman has a speedy recovery. The UFC is more exciting with Weidman on any card. Here’s also hoping that Bisping can take advantage of the opportunity given to him. It should be one heck of a show on June 4th.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WV2MaEuP48