10 best walkout songs in UFC history

#3: Chris Weidman – I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

An All-American wrestler from New York state, Chris Weidman was using Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down as his walkout music as far back as 2012, but it didn’t really ‘click’ until his 2013 fight with legendary UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

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Silva hadn’t lost in almost 7 years and he’d won 16 UFC fights when he faced Weidman – and so suddenly, Petty’s lyrics about standing his ground in front of the gates of hell fit the challenger’s story perfectly. And sure enough, despite Silva’s best efforts to get into his head, Weidman did just as the song said – he didn’t back down, and eventually he pulled off a classic UFC upset and took the title away from the legend.

Weidman has fallen on hard times since – he’s now lost 4 of his last 5 fights and appears to be on the downswing of his career – and yet when the classic guitar riff hits for his entrance, you can’t help but be taken back to UFC 162 in July 2013. I Won’t Back Down remains perfect for Weidman’s personality – in victory and in defeat.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram