You have all probably heard the sad news that an undisclosed injury has forced former UFC middleweight champion, Chris Weidman, out of his rematch against Luke Rockhold at UFC 199.
If you haven’t . . . well, there you go!
We here at the Jiu-Jitsu Times have listed some possible replacements and alternatives for the scrapped Weidman vs. Rockhold match, but we want to hear your opinions.
Who, if anyone, should replace Chris Weidman at UFC 199?
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza: The “Alligator” gets my vote, hands down. With the exception of a controversial loss to Yoel Romero, Souza has dominated in the middleweight division, winning over half of his UFC battles in the first round.
Jacare is also a high-level grappler who has won numerous gold and silver medals in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships.
Though he fought this past Saturday at UFC 198, he seems to not only be in good shape, but eager for his shot at the middleweight strap.
“The Count” Michael Bisping: Bisping vs. Rockhold also makes sense, as “The Count” is coming off of a three-fight win streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over former middleweight kingpin, Anderson Silva.
UFC 199 would also be a good chance for Bisping to get some revenge for his submission loss at the hands of Rockhold back in 2014.
Furthermore, Rockhold seems to like the idea.
Bisping few things I enjoy more than shutting your mouth. The pleasure would be all mine, again.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 18, 2016
Move Cruz vs. Faber up to the main event: Scrapping the middleweight bout altogether might not be the most appealing option, but it makes sense. As the event is only weeks away, replacements for Weidman might not have adequate time to prepare for Rockhold. Short training camps also increase the likelihood that the loser of the bout will complain about not having enough time to prepare for his opponent, leaving the winner’s victory in question.
Cruz vs. Faber could easily headline the event. Both fighters are high-profile and entertaining, and the mutual and highly-visible animosity between the two could easily garner all of the attention UFC 199 needs to be a successful event.
Other: Do you think there are better paths the UFC could take with its main event? If so, we want to hear your opinions.
