Just days after Chris Weidman's resounding middleweight title loss (video) at the UFC 194 pay-per-view (PPV) against devastating kickboxer Luke Rockhold, each mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter's respective camps sounded off on what went down inside MGM Grand Garden Arena last weekend (Sat., Dec. 12, 2015).
However, they didn't completely rip the former champion's resume to shreds like veteran contender Michael Bisping did earlier this week on UFC Tonight.
"Alessio Sakara, Demian Maia and Tom Lawler, these are not the caliber of fighters I've been fighting. Then Chris fought Anderson, who messes around and gets knocked out. Then he comes back and breaks his leg. Sorry those are the facts, not speculation. He's fought a bunch of has-beens. The first time he fights a real guy, he loses. God bless you Chris, good luck with the rest of your career. My score: I give you a C-. It's low, but still a pass."
"The Count" has never been one to shy away from critiquing the opposition, and for one, Rockhold might agree with him.
The Long Island native ran his undefeated record up to 13, before being trounced by the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product Rockhold in Las Vegas.
"All-American's" victories over Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, and Anderson Silva (twice) in UFC have been questioned before by his ex-adversary Rockhold.
Weidman's wins were technically over foes ranked inside the Top 5 of the 185-pound division, but it's the average age of said opponents, 37, at the time of competition that Rockhold feels is very much telling of the quality of fighters he has faced.
The 31-year-old, meanwhile, has since broken his silence on Facebook following his dismantling at the hands of Rockhold, stating that his motivation to compete "has never been stronger."
Perhaps Bisping would be interested in a clash with the pride of New York, if it were not for his pending confrontation with former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi on his own soil in London, England at UFC Fight Night 83.
I have a feeling Weidman might be back on the championship hunt sooner rather than later anyway.