Chris Weidman is all set to challenge Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva for the 185-pound strap in the main event of the UFC 162: "Silva vs. Weidman" pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place on July 6, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Yes, Weidman is headlining a UFC PPV over Fourth of July Weekend against perhaps the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) champion of all time.
Not bad for a guy who was 24 hours away from becoming a Bellator fighter.
But the night before he put pen to paper, his uncle (an attorney) found language inside the contract that could have locked him up far past the original two-year deal he had agreed to, according to his conversation with NY Post:
"I felt like I was betrayed by them. They never told me that. It was a little sneaky. I was so upset. I was so let down. I was excited to go to Bellator. Everything happens for a reason. Thank God I took my time and didn't just rush into it."
This is probably the last thing Bellator wants to hear right now, considering its messy legal battle with Eddie Alvarez, who also used the word "betrayed" when referring to the way he was locked into a contract. We also have Leonard Garcia and the phantom talent scouts.
Not a good look.
Weidman, who says he was "broke as a joke," was called up to UFC shortly thereafter, where the former Ring of Combat (ROC) champion dominated Alessio Sakara in his Octagon debut as part of the UFC on Versus 3 event in Louisville, Kentucky.
The rest as they say, is history.