Tim Kennedy: Weidman won't be ready by July, but still picking champ over Machida

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –  UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman on Tuesday underwent surgery to repair both of his knees, clearing the way for his title defense in July against Lyoto Machida.

Although Weidman gave a thumbs-up and said the procedure was a success, there’s one middleweight who thinks he might be jumping back into the cage too early.

“There’s no way he’s ready by July,” Tim Kennedy told MMAjunkie. “No way.”

Kennedy (17-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who later this month headlines the TUF Nations Finale opposite Michael Bisping (24-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC), thinks it’s probably a combination of promotional pressure and the champ’s overzealousness that led him to agree to a July fight.

Weidman (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) originally was scheduled to face Vitor Belfort before the UFC replaced him with Machida (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) for a May 24 headliner at UFC 173. The promotion announced this past month that Weidman’s knees were injured and his title bout would be pushed to UFC 175, which takes place July 5 at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

It’s a seven-week gap between the pay-per-view events, but Kennedy believes the champ may need more recovery time before he jumps into a training camp.

“I mean, you’re an athlete,” Kennedy said. “Remember Chuck Liddell at the end of his career? He still had the heart and mind of being a champion. His body just couldn’t do it. Chris Weidman is young, and still has everything to be a champion for a long time. But what your mind and heart tell you is sometimes different than what your body will allow you to do. You have to be a smart athlete.”

The injury Weidman suffered – a torn meniscus – is incredibly common not just among fighters, but athletes of any kind. The knee cartilage is extremely susceptible to damage from the impact and twisting involved in sports, and damage is often accrued over time. Arthroscopic surgery is the most popular way to correct the issue.

Recovery times vary for the procedure, ranging from as little as one month to three months depending on the severity of the issue. Weidman said his left knee was injured in high school and locked up during activity, which caused severe pain. He added his right meniscus also was torn.

Kennedy suffered a torn quadriceps prior to his most recent fight against Rafael Natal, but chose not to withdraw and went on to earn a first-round knockout.

Going into his bout with Bisping, Kennedy said his chief concern is that Bisping is healthy for their fight. The British middleweight suffered a serious eye injury that kept him out of the octagon for much of 2013.

“I don’t want to fight a hurt Bisping; I don’t want his eye to be in any way, shape, or form, not in a condition to go out there and have 25 minutes of pain,” Kennedy said. “I know, I’m bad person.”

Despite his assessment of Weidman’s timetable, Kennedy is still picking the champ to retain his belt. He said Weidman, among other things, hits harder than Machida’s previous opponent, Gegard Mousasi, who was outpointed by the ex-champ this past February.

Kennedy also believes Weidman is superior on the mat.

“The takedowns and scrambles that happened in [Gegard Mousasi vs. Machida] that were close, Weidman’s on a completely different level as a grappler and a wrestler,” Kennedy said. “So, I’m going to have to give the nod to Weidman.”

For the latest on UFC 175, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Tim Kennedy)

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