UFC 194 Preview – Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold

#2 Chris Weidman Analysis

Chris Weidman is one of the best pressure fighters in MMA

Weidman beat Anderson in a rematch and has defended his title 2 more times after that. A collegiate wrestling stand out, Weidman likes to pressure his opponents, punch his way in, clinch and drag the fight to the floor. He favours close distance fighting and his aggressive style allows him to set the pace in the early rounds of a fight.

Weidman likes to take the centre of the octagon early and force his opponent to fight moving back the entire time. The more his opponents back up, the more pressure Weidman applies.

His close range fighting style neutralises fighters who like to move around a lot and force them to fight against their natural instincts. His second title defence against Lyoto Machida is a prime example of this.

Weidman’s striking may not be at the level of Rockhold but his ability to manage distance balances things out. It should also be noted that all of Weidman’s title fights have come against elite strikers and he beat them all rather emphatically.

It’s often forgotten that Weidman is a BJJ black belt under Renzo Gracie. He’s hardly a novice on the ground. In all his fights, Weidman has adhered to the philosophy of position over submission.

His only aim is to get into a better position with each move on the ground until he is on full mount and can unload with a ground and pound. His performance against Vitor Belfort is a perfect testament to that.

There is nobody better in MMA at the ground and pound than Chris Weidman. His striking and wrestling are used in tandum to bring his opponent to the ground from where he can establish full mount and unload with punches and elbows. Against Rockhold, the ground and pound will remain Weidman’s best shot at retaining his title.

Watch Chris Weidman defeat Anderson Silva in the video below: -