Chris Weidman, despite his lucrative career in the world of mixed martial arts, faced repetitive defeats, following his loss to Luke Rockhold at UFC 204. On top of that, he was already 40 years old, an age that made fighting pretty difficult. It was indeed high time for him to opt for retirement. And that’s what he did at the UFC 311 weigh-in show.

‘Wonderboy’ released a short video on Instagram after Weidman hung his gloves for good. The former kickboxer said, “Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson here, wishing Christopher James Weidman a happy retirement? Are you kidding me, dude? Time has flown by, man. You know what’s messed up? You got me into this mess and now you’re dipping on me. That’s kinda messed up.” 

But it was all a prank. Thompson is a pretty close associate of the former middleweight champ. No doubt, he couldn’t stay back from praising Weidman’s nostalgic career. Although his recent fights were disappointing, ‘The All-American’ once dominated the MMA cage. He defeated Uriah Hall at ROF and became the ROF champion before switching to UFC. Therein, he beat Anderson Silva to become a MW champion and went on to successfully defend the belt thrice. ‘Wonderboy’ reflected on that and said, “A very small percentage of people can say they have been the UFC middleweight champ, dude. I think that’s so freaking cool.” He continued, “What’s even cooler than that, is the amount of people that you had a positive influence on, being in the sport. Being a life for those who needed it, man.” 

While Weidman said his farewell to his professional fighting career, Thompson believed that there were still a few ways for the former champ to contribute to the MMA realm. After all, he had an immense database of knowledge and experience, and people would love to learn from him. Nevertheless, the welterweight contender was happy for Weidman’s retirement. 

He ended the heartfelt message for ‘The All-American’ by saying, “You better not stop helping me train. You still gotta help me out with my next fight, my man. But I just wanna tell you I love you, and I support you man, 100% all the way. Happy retirement, brother.” Well, Thompson isn’t just a teammate for Weidman. They’re practically family. Thompson’s brother and Weidman’s sister are married. 

We have all witnessed the strength that Weidman carried during his prime. Defeating fighters like Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Vitor Belfort is no joke! But how can we move along without a word from the former champ himself? Let’s see what Weidman had to say regarding his retirement. 

Chris Weidman opens new doors after leaving the UFC behind

During the UFC 311 weigh-in show, as Weidman announced his retirement, he said, “Since 2009, the goal was to be a UFC fighter. Then, immediately the goal was to become a UFC world champion. Fourteen years later, I’m here and I’m here to tell you guys I’m hanging up the gloves in the UFC. I am no longer going to be fighting for the organization that changed my life in so many ways, and I’m just super appreciative to everybody who got me here.”

The experience taught him a lot about himself. But it came at the cost of injuries. Well, he’s had 30 surgeries. Nevertheless, he declared that he was proud to be able to compete with some of the best fighters in the world. And retirement doesn’t mean that all of his options are now shut tight. He continued, “I’m opening up a new chapter of my life, excited about the future, and I’m leaving the door open for opportunities, any big opportunities out there. But we’re moving on to see my life developed in different ways.”

And one of the ways he can still remain relevant in the MMA realm is by following Thompson’s advice. Weidman can impart his knowledge to the next generation of fighters. Needless to say, the entire world would be grateful to learn from the legendary mixed martial artist. 

What are your thoughts on ‘Wonderboy’s retirement message for Weidman? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.