Chris Weidman’s wrestling pedigree makes him one of the hottest prospects in mixed martial arts. The former Hofstra wrestler and two-time All American beat Phil Davis and Ryan Bader in college matches, so he’s obviously got a bit of a spotlight shining on him.
Weidman used that wrestling pedigree to control and batter Alessio Sakara throughout the majority of their UFC on Versus 3 bout. Sakara used precise striking to pummel Weidman in the first round, and it’s readily apparent that Weidman’s striking game is still a work in progress. In the second round, however, Weidman opened up a nasty cut on Sakara’s forehead. The bout was briefly stopped to allow the doctor to check Sakara’s cut. The doctor allowed the bout to continue, but Weidman continued using top-notch takedowns to keep Sakara on the bout while targeting the cut on Sakara’s forehead with elbows and short hammer fists.
The third round was more of the same, with Weidman controlling Sakara on the canvas. The few times that Sakara was able to escape, Weidman put him back on the canvas within seconds.
Weidman was given a 30-27 decision across the board.
“I wanted to come out and get the finish, but he’s a tough veteran with a lot of fights,” Weidman said. “I just want to thank the UFC for the opportunity.”
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