UFC 168: Weidman & Rousey Retain Their Titles

On Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, two high profile rematches headlined the action at UFC 168.

The first was Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate, who first faced off in a Strikeforce main event in March 2012. The second was Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman, who headlined UFC 162 in July.

Although each rematch ultimately ended the same way as the first fight, the path to victory was much different. And there were a few surprises—some good, some really really bad—along the way.

Rousey vs. Tate 

In their first fight, it was Ronda Rousey who prevailed over Miesha Tate. Rousey took down her rival by armbar submission at 4:27 of the first round—it was almost too easy. Tate even hung around longer than she should’ve, refusing to tap out until some serious damage was done to her elbow.

Going into UFC 168, Rousey was heavily favored among Vegas oddsmakers, who gave her an 88 percent chance of winning. She wasn’t just expected to win, she was expected to win early. Tate surprised many by taking the fight into the third round, when she wasn’t expected to make it beyond the first.

Although the route may have been a little longer, the destination was largely the same. The destination is always the same when Rousey fights—at least to this point. Including her victory over Tate, she is now 8-0; with all eight wins coming via armbar submission.

Tate has described Rousey as a “one-trick pony,” which may very well be the case. But why learn another trick when the first one works so well?

Weidman vs. Silva 

Anderson Silva had been the UFC Middleweight Champion since October 2006 when he got in the octagon to fight Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July 2013. It was the longest title reign in UFC history, which was broken when he lost by KO in the second round.

So dominant to that point was Silva that many considered Weidman’s first victory a fluke, but he silenced the doubters on Saturday night. It was one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history and one of the most brutal endings in the history of sports.

Weidman dominated in the first round, landing a blow to Silva’s right temple that left him dazed and confused the rest of the way. Silva didn’t seem to be making up any ground in the second before the fight came to its stunning conclusion just 1:16 into the round.

That’s when Silva threw a left leg kick to Weidman’s right knee. Weidman checked the attempt and Silva immediately collapsed, obviously in excruciating pain. Commentators described the injury as Silva’s shin bone having “snapped in half” and was left “dangling.”

If you didn’t see the fight, it was every bit as graphic—if not more so—than described. Comparisons to the gruesome injury sustained by Louisville’s Kevin Ware last April and even the horrifying broken leg sustained by Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann back in 1985.

As difficult as it is to look beyond the graphic nature of that injury, at least two things are clear right now. 1. Chris Weidman’s rise is not a fluke. 2. The legendary career of Anderson Silva, one of the greatest fighters the sport will ever see, is over.

The king is dead, long live the king.