Bruno Silva remains upset over his fight with Chris Weidman, which was controversially overturned to a technical decision due to eye pokes, and he seeks a rematch to settle their personal score.
Bruno Silva still harbors resentment towards Chris Weidman after their controversial fight. He’s eager for another chance to face him in the cage.
In their UFC Atlantic City bout, Weidman initially won by TKO. However, replays showed Silva was downed by eye pokes, not punches, leading to a technical decision. Silva’s appeal for a no-contest was denied.
The eye poke incident temporarily cost Silva 30% of his vision in one eye. Despite his push for an immediate rematch, he’s set to fight Ismail Naurdiev at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Weidman will clash with Eryk Anders next month.
Silva candidly expressed his frustration: “We were asking for this fight,” he told MMA Fighting. He admits he harbors anger towards both Weidman and Daniel Cormier, feeling they disrespected him.
During a UFC 300 weigh-in show, Weidman joined Cormier, Laura Sanko, and Dan Hellie. They made light of the eye poke controversy.
Silva plans to call out Weidman if he wins against Naurdiev. “I have a score to settle with him,” Silva asserted. The Brazilian is determined to face Weidman again, drawn by his status as a former champion.
After the contentious match, Weidman accused Silva of overreacting to the eye pokes. While Weidman celebrated breaking a losing streak, Silva has now lost three consecutive fights in the UFC.
Reflecting on his past mistakes, Silva regrets respecting Weidman too much. “He deserved no respect,” he lamented. Post-fight locker room talks turned sour when Weidman and Cormier publicly mocked him.
Months later, Silva faced a six-month suspension due to an anti-doping violation involving drostanolone metabolites. This wasn’t his first offense; he previously served a two-year ban in 2020.
Chris Weidman tweeted about Silva’s doping issues, suggesting microdosing might be involved. The comment added fuel to the fire.
Silva expressed frustration over public perception following the doping news. “People only read the headline,” he noted, feeling misrepresented.
Despite setbacks, Silva remains hopeful that karma will catch up with Weidman. He reflects on missed opportunities but remains focused on proving himself in future fights.
A longer suspension could have ended Silva’s career prematurely. He’s grateful to those who believed in him during difficult times and kept active through grappling and amateur boxing matches.
Heading into UFC 308, Silva feels unburdened by past losses. “Motivation is bullsh*t,” he declared confidently. His sole aim is victory in Abu Dhabi, ensuring his team returns home triumphant.