Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman will make his long-awaited return from a nasty leg break at UFC 292 later this summer.
Weidman (15-6) is expected to face Brad Tavares (19-8) at the Pay-Per-View event on August 19, 2023 at Boston’s TD Garden. Newsday was first to report the match-up.
Weidman has not been seen in action since breaking his leg while kicking Uriah Hall in their April 2021 match-up. “The All-American” instantly hit the floor is a scene eerily similar to middleweight legend Anderson Silva breaking his own leg against Weidman in their second fight.
Capturing the UFC middleweight championship against Silva in 2013, Weidman held the title until he was finished by Luke Rockhold in 2015. Since then, the New York native has posted a 2-5 record, including a failed move to light heavyweight in 2019 against Dominick Reyes.
Welcoming Chris Weidman back to the octagon in Boston will be Hawaii’s Brad Tavares, who will enter the bout off back-to-back losses against Bruno Silva and Dricus Du Plessis.
Neither fighter is currently ranked in the promotion’s 185lb weight class, which is once again reigned over by Israel Adesanya.
UFC 292 is set to be headlined by a pair of title fights, as Aljamain Sterling puts his 135lb title on the line against Sean O’Malley, while women’s strawweight champ Weili Zhang takes on Amanda Lemos.
Thus far, the following match-ups have been reported for the card:
Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Sean O’Malley — for the UFC bantamweight championship
Zhang Weili (c) vs. Amanda Lemos — for the UFC women’s strawweight championship
Chris Weidman vs. Brad Tavares
Cody Garbrandt vs. Mario Bautista
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Andre Petroski
