Chris Weidman is back in the game – sort of.
The former UFC middleweight champion is set to return to competition, but not in MMA. Weidman (15-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) has been booked for a grappling fight against Owen Livesey at Polaris 23.
The event is scheduled for March 11 at The Doncaster Dome in Doncaster, England. The event will stream on UFC Fight Pass.
Weidman recently revealed the news on his Instagram.
“Back in the game! @polaris_professional,” Wedman wrote. “To clarify, this is a grappling match, which I see as a good preparation for my next fight. I anticipate being ready in late May/June.”
The grappling match will be the first time Weidman will compete since his nasty leg break against Uriah Hall at UFC 261 in April 2021.
Weidman broke his right tibia in gruesome fashion when his leg kick connected on Hall’s shin, very much in the same fashion Anderson Silva broke his leg against Weidman in 2013.
The 38-year-old has gone through a lengthy recovery for his injury. He’s required multiple surgeries because the bones didn’t properly heal with the first procedure. Since he lost the UFC title in 2015, Weidman has gone 2-6 in his past eight trips to the octagon.
