Controversy Erupts as Chris Weidman Claims Victory Over Bruno Silva Despite Eye Poke Debacle
The UFC Fight Night event in Atlantic City, N.J., promised an intense showdown between flyweight contenders Manon Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield. However, it was the middleweight bout between Chris Weidman and Bruno Silva that stole the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons.
Controversial Turn of Events: Weidman, eager for his first win since 2020 following a debilitating leg injury in 2021, clinched a contentious unanimous decision victory over Silva. The match, though, was marred by a sequence of events that have ignited heated debate among UFC enthusiasts.
Disputed Outcome: In a dramatic third round, Weidman sent Silva (23-11-0) crashing to the canvas, seemingly sealing the fight with a TKO. However, controversy erupted when replays revealed that it was a series of inadvertent eye pokes from Weidman that precipitated Silva's downfall. Despite the initial TKO announcement in Weidman's favor, the decision was later revised to a technical decision, but Weidman was still declared the winner.
Chris Weidman just went full Captain Insano 😂
Swipe swipe ftw
— Charles "InnerG" Johnson (@InnerGmma) March 31, 2024
Source: Twitter/InnerGmmaÂ
Weidman’s Response
Silva vehemently contested the call, underscoring the significance of the eye pokes in determining the fight's outcome. With the unintentional nature of the fouls, the judges turned to their scorecards, where Weidman held the advantage, ultimately granting the 39-year-old his long-awaited victory and improving his record to 16-7-0.
Addressing the controversy in a post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, Weidman acknowledged the eye pokes but urged Silva to have handled the situation differently.
That’s the best Chris Weidman has looked in years & boy has he had a crazy last few years of battling back from adversity but damn, those eye pokes are unfortunate. Chris is a stud either way & getting a win over Bruno is impressive. #CarolinaChris is undefeated against Silva’s!
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) March 31, 2024
Source: Twitter/Kenny FlorianÂ
"I was poked in the eye, too, but here's my advice to Bruno, with all due respect: It seemed like I got his eye as he was moving in but you can't just fall to the mat if you get poked in the eye.
You have to stay up, let the referee see it you can't just go down. He did that like three times, and it finally caught up with him," Weidman stated.
This is the best Chris Weidman has looked in years. #UFCAtlanticCity
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) March 31, 2024
Source: Twitter/Adam MartinÂ
Fiorot Dominates Blanchfield in Flyweight Clash
Meanwhile, in the night's headline attraction, Manon Fiorot further solidified her dominance in the flyweight division by dispatching Erin Blanchfield with ease.
The French sensation extended her remarkable win streak to 12 by securing a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the bout 50-45. Fiorot's record now stands at an impressive 12-1-0.
Source: Youtube/MMA
Buckley Secures Impressive TKO Victory Over Luque
In the co-main event, Joaquin Buckley delivered a stunning second-round TKO over Vicente Luque in their welterweight clash. Luque's failed takedown attempt proved costly as Buckley capitalized with a relentless barrage of strikes, prompting the referee to halt the contest at the 3:17 mark of the second round.
With this victory, Buckley, who previously competed in the middleweight division, has now won all three of his welterweight bouts, boosting his record to 18-6-0, while Luque's record slips to 22-10-1.
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