UFC PPV Events Season 21 Episode 7 UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
- July 6, 2013
On July 6, 2013, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held its 162nd pay-per-view event, titled UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman. This event was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured a highly anticipated middleweight title fight between the long-reigning champion, Anderson Silva, and the number one contender, Chris Weidman.
The co-main event of the evening was a featherweight bout between Cub Swanson and Dennis Siver, and the main card also included fights in the middleweight, featherweight, and welterweight divisions.
The main event between Silva and Weidman garnered a tremendous amount of attention leading up to the event, as Silva had held the middleweight championship for nearly seven years and had defended his title a record-breaking 10 times. Weidman, on the other hand, was a rising star in the division with a perfect professional record of 9-0, including wins over top contenders such as Demian Maia and Mark Munoz.
The fight itself was a back-and-forth affair, with both fighters landing significant strikes and attempting takedowns throughout the first and second rounds. However, in the middle of the second round, Weidman was able to connect with a left hook that sent Silva to the canvas.
Rather than following up with strikes, Weidman motioned for Silva to get back to his feet, which Silva did unsteadily. Weidman then landed another left hook that once again dropped Silva to the canvas, and this time he followed up with punches to secure the TKO victory and claim the middleweight championship.
The upset victory by Weidman over the seemingly unbeatable Silva sent shockwaves through the MMA world. Many fans and analysts had predicted that Silva would easily dispatch of Weidman, and the fact that he had lost in such a decisive manner was truly stunning.
In the co-main event, Swanson was able to secure a victory over Siver by unanimous decision after a hard-fought three rounds. Swanson landed a number of strikes throughout the fight and was able to successfully defend against Siver's takedown attempts.
Other notable fights on the card included a middleweight fight between Tim Kennedy and Roger Gracie, which Kennedy won by unanimous decision, and a welterweight fight between Seth Baczynski and Brian Melancon, which Melancon won by TKO in the first round.
Overall, UFC 162 was a historic event for the UFC, as it marked the end of Silva's legendary title reign and the beginning of a new era in the middleweight division. It also showcased some of the UFC's top talent in other weight classes and was a thrilling night of fights from start to finish.
