Chris Weidman credits Brad Tavares for teaching valuable lesson, preps for attacks on surgically repaired leg during UFC Atlantic City bout

According to Chris Weidman, the fractured leg he sustained in his previous fight has actually aided in his preparation for his upcoming bout with Bruno Silva on May 30.

Weidman made a triumphant return to the Octagon against Brad Tavares at UFC 292, serving as the featured prelim. This comeback came over two years after his leg was broken by Uriah Hall in 2021. Although Weidman suffered a loss by decision and limped out of the cage, he credited Tavares’ aggressive attack for preparing him for his 23rd professional fight against Silva.

During the UFC Atlantic City media day, Weidman was asked about his feelings towards his leg, to which he responded:

“I didn’t expect [Brad Tavares] to be kicking and running like that. Obviously, hindsight is 20 20, you know, you break your leg in half like I did, you have to expect these guys coming at your legs… So I learned from that and I’m very cognisant that these guys are gonna be trying to go after my legs.”

Take a look at the statements made by Chris Weidman below:

Despite being dubbed ‘The All-American’, the fighter revealed that his team had not even considered leg kick attacks leading up to UFC 292, a concept he found to be ‘crazy.’

Despite a recent record of only 2-7 in his last nine fights, Weidman appears to have a challenging matchup ahead of him at UFC Atlantic City as Silva has an impressive knockout record of 20 wins out of 23 professional fights. However, Silva has also struggled recently with a record of 1-4 in his last five fights, with his only victory during that time being against Tavares.

The Emotional Exchange Between Chris Weidman and Brad Tavares After Their UFC 292 Bout

Despite their competitive bout at UFC 292, Chris Weidman and Brad Tavares seem to have developed a connection.

Following his victory by unanimous decision due to his successful use of leg kicks, Tavares and his opponent shared a touching moment after the fight. Despite nursing a fractured right leg in a wheelchair, Weidman congratulated Tavares and praised him as ‘good people’, showcasing the mutual respect between the two middleweights.

Despite a seven-month hiatus since their last fight, Weidman is set to make a comeback on March 30 as he faces off against Bruno Silva. Meanwhile, Tavares made his return to the cage in February, but suffered a third-round TKO loss against Gregory Rodrigues.

Despite his loss to Tavares, Weidman confessed that he had considered retiring. However, he ultimately decided against it, believing that he was still a top-tier middleweight at 39 years old.