LAS VEGAS — Chris Weidman sent a shock wave through mixed martial arts, stopping Anderson Silva in the second round of the main event at UFC 162 to become the new middleweight champion on Saturday night.
Silva talked, taunted and dared Weidman to engage him. When the champion lowered his hands early in the second round, Weidman caught him with a short left that sent the MMA star to the mat. Weidman pounced and landed a few more shots that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 1:18.
“I felt destined for this,” Weidman said. “It was far-fetched, but I imagined it so many times before in my head.”
The win put an end to Silva’s nearly seven-year reign atop the UFC middleweight division and his 17-fight winning streak.
“I worked for this fight, Chris Weidman is the best now. He is the champion,” said Silva, who fell to 33-5. “I’ve had the belt for a long time. I’m tired.”
In the co-main event in front of a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar outwrestled and outstruck Charles Oliveira to get the win by unanimous decision.
On the main card, Lincolnville’s Tim Boetsch lost by unanimous decision to Mark Munoz, Tim Kennedy earned a unanimous decision win and Cub Swanson bested Dennis Siver with a third-round TKO.
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