Getty JACKSONVILLE, FL - Chris Weidman after breaking his leg on a kick attempt on Uriah Hall during UFC 261 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman sustained a graphic injury during his fight at UFC 261.
Weidman, who fought Uriah Hall during the main card of the event, threw a leg kick at the beginning of the fight only to be met by Hall’s check. Weidman’s leg smashed into Hall’s knee, snapping.
WARNING: The injury is graphic, viewer discretion is advised.
Watch the moment below:
According to UFC president Dana White, Hall became the first fighter to win a UFC fight without throwing a single punch.
Interestingly, Weidman has been linked to a devastating leg break before, however he was the one who caused it. When “The All-American” rematched Anderson Silva in 2013, he checked “The Spider’s ” leg kick, causing Anderson’s leg to break.
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MMA Community Reacts to Weidman’s Gruesome Leg Snap
Members of the MMA world reacted to Weidman’s injury.
Anderson Silva, the man who break his leg off of Weidman’s knee, wrote, “My deepest and most sincere sentiments champ. Have faith, I wish you a speedy recovery. In this moment I wish you and your family light, love and knowledge. To the fans of the sport, please respect this moment of this incredible warrior and let’s wish that he is 100% very recovered soon. May God bless you and your family @chrisweidman.”
UFC superstar Conor McGregor wrote, “Hoping Chris Weidman has full recovery! Never nice to see. Crazy is the calf kick. No skill, balance, or flexibility, or anything does it take. It’s like watching a punt of a pig skin in the 50s. Up the yard! Crazy how it can go either way. One great for you, or real bad against.”
Hoping Chris Weidman has full recovery! Never nice to see.
Crazy is the calf kick. No skill, balance, or flexibility, or anything does it take. It’s like watching a punt of a pig skin in the 50s. Up the yard!
Crazy how it can go either way. One great for you, or real bad against
“He had to have a load of micro fractures in the leg possibly for it snap then. The placement of the kick was nice enough. It wasn’t fully checked. He hit the meat. Enough of it anyway. Had to have been damaged over time without knowing. Wear and tear. Careful on them kicks lads!”
He had to have a load of micro fractures in the leg possibly for it snap then. The placement of the kick was nice enough. It wasn’t fully checked. He hit the meat. Enough of it anyway. Had to have been damaged over time without knowing. Wear and tear.
Careful on them kicks lads!
Longtime UFC veteran Nate Diaz wrote, “That’s f***** up.”
That’s fucked up
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou wrote, “This is horrible. Unfortunate for Chris I hope he recover fast.”
This is horrible 😢
Unfortunate for Chris I hope he recover fast.
#ufc261
Weidman’s longtime teammate, UFC bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling, wrote, “I have no words.. I hope the leg can heal up 100%. Damn.”
I have no words.. I hope the leg can heal up 100% 🙏🏾. Damn.
Later on, Sterling wrote, “Great night of fights but hard not to feel empty with Weidman’s fight ending like that.”
Top-ranked UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis wrote, “I will never throw a leg kick again.”
I will never throw a leg kick again @ufc
UFC star Mike Perry wrote, “What goes around comes around in the @ufc.”
What goes around comes around in the @ufc
No. 7-ranked UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa wrote, “The man that broke Anderson Silva’s leg by checking a kick just broke his own leg by throwing a kick and getting it checked. Virtually exact same situation but reversed roles. This is MMA. Prayers out to The All-American. #UFC261.”
The man that broke Anderson Silva’s leg by checking a kick just broke his own leg by throwing a kick and getting it checked. Virtually exact same situation but reversed roles. This is MMA. Prayers out to The All-American. #UFC261
ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani wrote, “Holy. Weidman just kicked Uriah Hall SECONDS into their fight and his leg snapped. The exact same thing that happened to Anderson Silva against Weidman. This is absolutely horrific.”
He continued, “Feel sick to my stomach. No one deserves this. This is a cruel, cruel sport.”
Feel sick to my stomach. No one deserves this. This is a cruel, cruel sport.
Morning Kombat’s Luke Thomas wrote, “OH MY GOD. Chris Weidman suffered the same injury Anderson Silva has in breaking his shin bone.”
OH MY GOD
Chris Weidman suffered the same injury Anderson Silva has in breaking his shin bone.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto wrote, “OMG THERE IS NO WAY THAT JUST HAPPENED.”
“THERE IS NO FREAKING WAY THAT JUST HAPPENED,” he continued. “stop it. that happened. to weidman, of all people. of alllllllll people. i can not believe it.”
stop it. that happened. to weidman, of all people. of alllllllll people. i can not believeit.
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Weidman Has Fallen On Tough Times Since Losing His Belt in 2015
The All-American defended his middleweight strap three times before losing it to Luke Rockhold in 2015. Since then, he’s gone 2-5 in his last seven fights. Including his loss to Rockhold, Weidman has lost by either KO or TKO six times since 2015.
It’s unclear how long Weidman’s path to recovery will be and at 36 years old, the gruesome leg snap may have derailed his title aspirations for good.
On the other hand, Hall extended his win streak to four. He is currently ranked No. 9 in the 185-pound division and he will likely earn a shot at someone within the top 10 next.
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