Chris Weidman: Silva ‘going to have to go through hell to beat me’

By Evan Stoumbelis – @MMAEvan

Nearly 5 years ago Chris Weidman’s MMA journey began, on his living room couch in the summer of 2008 when Weidman saw Silva fight. Weidman analyzed Silva and came to the conclusion that he could beat the champion. It almost sounds like something out of a movie, and yet, 5 years later here we are, Silva vs. Weidman for the middleweight strap. 9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC, Chris Weidman has been waiting for this day, and it is something many fans have looked forward to for a long time.

“If you go in the cage with insecurities, he’s going to feed on it, he’s going to mess with you. He’s going to make that insecurity grow and make you feel, ‘Wow, I really don’t belong in the cage with this guy, he can knock me out any time he wants.’ You see guys melt down, almost give up because they’re so mentally beaten. Well, he’s going to have to go through hell to do that to me.”

“If I don’t win this title, it’s a complete failure in my mind. I got in the sport for one reason, to be champion. When I decided to make the transition from wrestling to MMA, it was going to be a big sacrifice on my family. I had to make the decision, ‘I’m going to work hard every single day. I’m going to do the best I possibly can with the athletic ability I have.’ I knew I had potential, I knew I had talent. But it’s easy to waste that, especially when you have talent. I could beat a lot of guys in the room not really working hard. But I wanted to be known as the hardest worker in the room, which wasn’t always my main thing before I got to MMA. I said if I’m going to do this and my family is going to have to go through this. I’m working my ass off to be No. 1. The only reason I’m going to do it is to be world champion.”

In Weidman’s mind, he has believed he could beat Silva from day one, and now, the stars have aligned for the 29 year old New York native.

“I feel everything is lined up perfectly. I have zero excuses to lose this fight. I just feel like it’s perfect timing in every possible way. I do feel all the stars are aligned for me to win this belt. I can’t see me losing. I don’t see it happening.”

The UFC 162 Weidman vs. Silva main card kicks off at 9P.M. from Las Vegas with Cub Swanson vs. Dennis Siver. The preliminary card starts at 7P.M. on FX with Edson Barboza vs. Rafaello Oliveira.