No regrets! Chris Weidman, 40, still has ‘something to prove’ against ‘best guys in the world’ like Eryk Anders | UFC 309

Alexander Behunin specializes in running MMAmania.com's various social media accounts, as well as covering live UFC events, interviewing the sports biggest stars and personalities.

“All-American” isn’t done yet!

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion, Chris Weidman, returns for his 20th Octagon appearance at UFC 309 this weekend (Sat., Nov. 16, 2024) against Eryk Anders from inside the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Weidman — who turned 40 earlier this year — admits he did not think he’d be fighting at his age when he became the first man to defeat Anderson Silva inside the Octagon; however, his innate competitiveness keeps him going.

Even though he knows the end is near.

“I’m very competitive — I still feel like I have more to offer this sport,” Weidman told ESPN when asked why he still fights. “I feel like I can compete with the best of them, and I just want to prove to myself and test myself against the best guys in the world because at some point, very soon, I’ll be done.

“And I don’t want to have any regrets thinking I hung it up earlier than I should have,” Weidman continued. “So, I’m just running until I feel like it’s time, and it just hasn’t happened yet. I don’t know, maybe the leg break actually, in retrospect, prolonged my career because of all that time off, so I don’t know if I’d be fighting into my 40s like I am now.

“I’m 40,” Weidman concluded. “Maybe I would have been done already. But, because of the time off and all that like, I feel like I have more to give. It is just what it is. Man, I’m 40 years old. I can’t do this much longer. I’m taking it fight by fight, to be honest, because I just have to see how the body feels. You never know.”

Weidman’s latter career has been rough to say the least.

From losing seven out of his last 10 fights to breaking his leg against Uriah Hall at UFC 261 and the absolutely brutal recovery that came with it to becoming a UFC villain after his last fight because of eye pokes.

It’s been a trip.

While his resume might lack recent wins, Weidman doesn’t lack heart, which will be displayed this weekend as he looks to win for the first time inside Madison Square Garden ... a feat he has yet to achieve.

LIVE! Watch UFC 309 PPV On ESPN+ Here!

LEGACY ON THE LINE! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to “The Big Apple” in New York, N.Y., on Sat., Nov. 16, 2024, with the long-awaited, legacy-defining Heavyweight showdown between reigning division champion, Jon Jones, looking to ride off into the sunset as the bonafide G.O.A.T. at the expense of former kingpin, Stipe Miocic. In UFC 309’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-headliner from inside Madison Square Garden, former Lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira, will run it back with Michael Chandler, who has been sitting on the sidelines unsuccessfully waiting for Conor McGregor’s ill-fated comeback. UFC 309 will also feature the exciting returns of super prospects Mauricio Ruffy and Bo Nickal (in separate fights) and so much more! UFC 309’s start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (Prelims card) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 309 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 309: “Jones vs. Miocic” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.