Should Chris Weidman have retired at UFC Atlantic City?

Against all odds, Chris Weidman pulled off the upset win over Bruno Silva at UFC Atlantic City to secure his first win since 2020. Now, at age 39, the former champion claims he is still getting better and the best is yet to come.

Despite being the more accomplished fighter with the crowd in his favor, the New York native closed as a near 2-1 underdog due to his paltry 2-7 record from 2015-2023. The fight was initially ruled a TKO with the referee stepping in to stop the action after an apparent knockdown but was officially ruled a technical decision after replays showed the "knockdown" was caused by two clear eye pokes.

Regardless, Weidman received his first win since 2020. After breaking his leg against Uriah Hall at UFC 261, Weidman returned over two years later to face Brad Tavares at UFC 291 but lost a convincing decision.

Many, including Dana White, called for the fan favorite to retire after the bout but Weidman insisted that he is still in his prime, claiming he still feels as if he owns an elite skill set in training.

What's next for Chris Weidman

After picking up his 16th professional win near his home state at 39 years old, many fans were wondering if Weidman would have called it a career in his post-fight interview. The announcement would not come but left many wondering if that was the wrong decision.

Nobody expected Weidman to return to the Octagon after the leg injury and ESPN even made a documentary on the recovery process. The return fight against Tavares was tough, but Weidman has already won the game of MMA. Not only does he own a championship belt in one of the most memorable moments in UFC history but Weidman has overcome the odds once again with a win against a difficult opponent after being on the wrong end of arguably the worst injury seen in the Octagon.

Fans saw a similar situation at UFC Kansas City in 2023 with Zak Cummings retiring after a TKO win over Ed Herman. Cummings admitted he still had the desire to fight but felt there would be no better way to end his career and thus announced his decision in front of friends and family with his daughter in his arms.

Weidman, of course, has accomplished more than Cummings has in his career, and while showing he still has some left in the tank may regret not leaving his gloves in the cage on March 30. Given his career accomplishments and the setting in which the fight with Silva took place, it would be hard to find a scenario that would make a better retirement for Weidman.