Saturday night, Chris Weidman continued to stake his claim as one of the best fighters in the world. In an exciting five-round war, Weidman was able to hold off Lyoto Machida, via unanimous decision.
It was Weidman's second title defense, with his first being a rematch win over Anderson Silva. It has established Weidman as a star in the UFC and a guy who could potentially become the pound-for-pound king at some point.
So, who is next for the middleweight champ, whenever he returns? Let's take a look at three matchups he should face next.
Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort is the obvious candidate to face Weidman next. He has been crushing the competition lately and is probably the highest ranked guy behind Anderson Silva, who Weidman has already beaten twice.
The big thing with Belfort is if he can stay clean and off performance enhancers. He is a risk if they announce him in a title bout and he fails a pre-fight drug test or gets flagged for elevated testosterone.
Who do you want to see Weidman fight next?
If he can stay away from that controversy, he is a great challenge for Weidman. He is a killer on the feet, a physical brute and a good ground fighter.
He could be the most marketable title fight for Weidman.
Ronaldo Souza-Gegard Mousasi winner
There is a huge middleweight showdown at UFC 176 between Ronaldo Souza and Gegard Mousasi. That fight could provide the winner to contend for Weidman's title.
Mousasi is a great striker with an underrated submission game. His weakness is wrestling, so his style may be rough to match up against Weidman with.
As for Souza, he has stuck out as one of the best middleweights in the world. His striking has vastly improved, and he still possesses one of the best submission grappling games around.
Either guy is a solid candidate to contend against Weidman, though Souza is the preferable choice.
Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold is really the dark horse candidate to get the next title shot. However, with his recent performances, it really would not be an outrage to give him a shot at Weidman.
It would be a marketable fight. The former Strikeforce champ versus the current UFC champion could be a platform to attract pay-per-view buys from casual fans.
He is also a tough matchup. He has good wrestling and is a great kickboxer, something that would make Weidman earn his pay.
He may be a fight off, but the fight game is all about timing.
