Chris Weidman secures his first win in 4 years at UFC Atlantic City through a controversial decision after multiple eye pokes.
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- Chris Weidman wins his first match in four years against Bruno Silva in a peculiar finish.
- The match concluded with Weidman being declared the winner after a series of eye pokes, initially believed to lead to a no-contest.
- The judges ruled the fight in favor of Weidman with a unanimous decision, scoring 30-27 after reviewing the incident.
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The Unpredictable Path to Victory
Chris Weidman, the former UFC middleweight champion, secured a win against Bruno Silva in a manner no one anticipated, marking his first victory since August 8, 2020.
This is wildest shit I’ve ever seen. A double eye poke combination lol. And this was just scored as a TKO for Weidman. Wild. pic.twitter.com/pmhLQ4Epvd
— MartialMind 🇳🇬🇺🇲 (@MartialMind1) March 31, 2024
During the Saturday night event, the win came through unusual circumstances against veteran Bruno Silva.
The fight saw Weidman employing a strategy that ultimately led to a unanimous decision victory, as declared after a series of controversial moments involving eye pokes.
Controversy and Confusion Inside the Octagon
The match was characterized by several stoppages due to eye pokes, with both fighters receiving warnings from referee Gary Copeland.
The decisive moment of the bout saw Weidman inadvertently poke Silva in both eyes during an exchange in the third round, leading to Silva’s inability to continue and a subsequent halt to the fight.
Initially, speculation existed about a no-contest ruling, but Weidman was eventually announced as the winner.
In his post-fight interview, Weidman acknowledged the eye pokes but suggested that Silva’s reaction to the injury contributed to the fight’s outcome.
“I got poked in the eye too, but this is my advice to Bruno. Much respect to him, and it looked like I touched his eyeball when he was coming in. You can’t drop to the ground like that if your eye gets poked. You’ve got to stand. If the refs sees it — you can’t just drop. He did that like three times, and it caught up to him.”
The ESPN broadcast later clarified that the fight had been scored as a unanimous decision win for Weidman, with judges deeming Silva unable to continue due to the eye pokes and thereby resorting to the scorecards.
An Evening Shadowed by Eye Pokes
This event was not isolated in its controversy, as earlier in the night, a fight between Nursulton Ruziboev and Sedriques Dumas was also decided under similar circumstances.
The precedent set by these incidents raises questions about handling such situations in professional fighting, with the unpredictability and inherent challenges of the sport.
Chris Weidman’s victory, though marred by controversy, marks a significant moment in his career, offering a glimmer of resurgence amidst a series of challenges.
