Chris Weidman not getting super-excited about UFC debut in New York

If mixed martial arts (MMA) is a football, then Chris Weidman is Charlie Brown (and New York is Lucy).

That's why the reigning middleweight champion, who lives and trains in "The Empire State," is not going to work himself into a tizzy over the promotion's recent announcement that it will be staging a pay-per-view (PPV) event inside Madison Square Garden this April.

Weidman elaborates to ESPN:

"My gut reaction is to not get super-excited, because I've been let down with this so many times, to be honest with you. I've had my hopes up so high for the December card. That one didn't happen, and I was so pumped for it. I thought it was 100 percent happening this year. I was on the inside this time. I was on the phone with the governor. I spoke to (New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo). I was inside all of this stuff, and there was no question in my mind it was happening. Then there were some people who didn't want it to happen and they won. I'm fully supportive of it happening and it's going to be a dream come true, but my focus is on Luke Rockhold, not at Madison Square Garden, but the MGM."

Hard to disagree.

While Dana White and Co. fight for a slice of the "Big Apple," Weidman moves on to defend his 185-pound strap against division No. 1 contender Luke Rockhold. They'll do the deed at the UFC 194 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Dec. 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For more on that upcoming card click here.