Chris Weidman wants rematch after UFC 210; Gegard Mousasi, Dana White aren't so sure

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is pushing for an immediate rematch with Gegard Mousasi after their UFC 210 co-headliner came to a controversial end.

But Mousasi and UFC President Dana White didn’t immediately jump on board with the idea, especially with contract negotiations imminent for the victorious middleweight.

“If he wants his rematch, I can give it to him,” Mousasi told MMAjunkie at the post-event press conference at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. “But I’m chasing the title.”

The fight was thrown into disarray in the second round after referee Dan Miragliotta stopped it, warning Mousasi for a pair of knees that appeared to be illegal because Weidman’s hands were on the mat as a downed fighter. Replays showed that wasn’t the case, and after some confusion, Miragliotta informed the fighters and officials the knee was legal.

But rather than restart the fight, Miragliotta referred to doctors with the New York State Athletic Commission, who said it couldn’t continue, and Mousasi (42-6-2 MMA, 9-3 UFC) was the winner via TKO.

A shocked Weidman (13-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) indicated the referee overstepped his bounds by looking at in-arena replays, bypassing the fact that the state doesn’t have instant replay.

“I thought I was going to win because of the illegal knee,” Weidman said. “He left the octagon and looked at a replay, and said it was a legal knee. But in the state of New York, there are no replays. So it’s a crappy situation.

“If it was a legal knee, I would have loved to have just kept fighting. It shouldn’t have been stopped, but the ref, at the end of the day, is the one who made a judgement call, and in the state of New York, his word is what counts. There’s no replay.”

The ex-champ said he’d love a rematch with Mousasi and appealed to his opponent’s sense of fair play in making it happen.

“I feel like I was on the way to winning that fight,” Weidman said. “Gegard has to be pissed, too. He doesn’t want to win like that. I would have been pissed if they stopped the fight, and I won it.”

In many situations, a controversy such as the one that arose would trigger a rematch. But this one is different, because Mousasi’s fight with Weidman fulfilled his UFC contract, and he’s adamant – very adamant – his pay should get a bump.

Not only that, Mousasi said at the post-event presser, but Weidman’s performance left him less sympathetic about the controversy in the octagon.

“At the end of the day, I’m fighting,” Mousasi said. “I have a lot of respect for Weidman – I don’t want to bad-mouth him – but if you want to play smart and take advantage of the rules, that’s not my fault.

“If you want to put your hand down so I cannot knee you or take it up, you’re fighting – don’t try to take advantage of the rules. At the end of the day, it was legal. That’s what everyone says now. I don’t make the rules. I felt he didn’t want to continue; I think everyone saw that. How is that my fault? I don’t give a (expletive). I won. I like the guy. He’s a tough opponent. But at the end of the day, he didn’t want to fight.”

Mousasi , the No. 7 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, didn’t dismiss the idea of an immediate rematch. Still, two priorities are driving his future: money and a title fight with champ Michael Bisping (30-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC).

Mostly, though, money.

“I should get paid,” Mousasi said. “All these guys I’ve defeated, they’re making more money than me. What is it? My nationality? Do you want me to die my hair blond? What the (expletive)?

“I am one of the best – I should get paid as one of the best. So there’s nothing wrong with me. Just pay me what I’m worth. I’m a fair guy. I’m not asking more than what I’m worth. You think I can’t beat Bisping, I can’t talk like Bisping? What is it?”

Mousasi wouldn’t give a ballpark figure of his financial demands. Nevertheless, he said he is confident a deal will get done after White told him as much when they crossed paths at the presser.

Through time, attrition, and anti-doping, Mousasi said his moment at the top is coming soon.

“I’m 31,” he said. “These guys are all 40. No steroids, it’s a shorter career. You’ve seen guys fight to 47. You think that’s natural? So these guys are on their way out, and I’m in the top three.”

White expressed optimism about striking a deal with Mousasi during his time on the podium. A rematch with Weidman, he indicated, was a little less priority, though he admitted to being frustrated by the commission.

“With the (NYSAC), it’s like we’re in 2001 again,” White said. “These guys haven’t done big MMA fights. These guys have to get some experience.

“As a fighter, I say it all the time. You’ve got to be on your toes and ready to go. Many, many times, even in great states like Nevada, not only are you battling your opponent, you’re battling the ref and judges and anybody else who has any type of power over the fight. You’ve got to go in there and fight to win, fight to finish.

“It looked like (Weidman) was in a real bad position right there, and that’s the way the fight was going to go. Who knows (if the rematch will be made)? I don’t know.”

For complete coverage of UFC 210, check out the UFC Events section of the site.