6 July 2013. I still remember where I was when Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva at UFC 162. Longest middleweight title run the UFC had ever seen, gone in one left hook. People still talk about that night like it happened last month.
Silva looked unbreakable
Sixteen straight UFC wins. Nearly seven years as champ. Ten title defences. Franklin, Henderson, Sonnen, Griffin, Belfort already on the résumé. “The Spider” was not just favourite. He was the ceiling.
Nobody bought Weidman
9–0, wins over Maia and Muñoz, and it still was not enough for most of us. Weidman spent the whole promo cycle saying he would end the reign. I did not believe him. Almost nobody did until the fight started.
The hook that broke the spell
Silva did Silva things: hands low, clowning, daring the challenger to swing. Weidman timed the left hook in the middle of a taunt, dropped him, and finished it on the floor. Round two. Title gone. The building went silent, then lost its mind.
What came after
Silva never got that aura back. Lost the rematch. Drifted through the Nick Díaz mess. Later fell to Bisping. Weidman kept the belt through the rematch and defended against Machida and Belfort. He was never Silva. Did not need to be. He is the guy who ended the run.
UFC 162 results
- Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva (c) by KO (strikes), Round 2, won the middleweight title
- Frankie Edgar def. Charles Oliveira by unanimous decision
- Tim Kennedy def. Roger Gracie by unanimous decision
- Mark Muñoz def. Tim Boetsch by unanimous decision
- Cub Swanson def. Dennis Siver by TKO (strikes), Round 3
- Andrew Craig def. Chris Leben by split decision
- Norman Parke def. Kazuki Tokudome by unanimous decision
- Gabriel Gonzaga def. Dave Herman by TKO (strikes) in 17 seconds
- Edson Barboza def. Rafaello Oliveira by TKO (leg kicks)
- Brian Melancon def. Seth Baczynski by KO (strikes)
- Mike Pierce def. David Mitchell by TKO (strikes)
Thirteen years on, this is still the card I point to when someone says the favourite cannot lose.
