Chris Weidman Steps In To Wrestle Khamzat Chimaev, Proving He Fears Nothing

Stepping in on short notice to face Khamzat Chimaev is the kind of career decision that usually requires a wellness check. But according to MMA Fighting, that is exactly what Chris Weidman is doing.

Colby Covington has officially pulled out of his scheduled grappling match against Chimaev at RAF Abu Dhabi due to an injury. Instead of scrapping the main event, the Real American Freestyle league dialed up a 40-year-old former UFC middleweight champion to fill the void.

"MMA Fighting reported the opponent change for the RAF Abu Dhabi main event."

If you are wondering how this makes sense, you are not alone. Weidman actually just wrestled Covington back in May at RAF 9 in Texas, dropping a narrow 5-4 decision. Now he gets rewarded by facing a fully healthy Chimaev, which feels less like an opportunity and more like a punishment.

For context, Weidman is currently sitting at 16-8 in his MMA career and is coming off a December 2024 knockout loss to Eryk Anders. He has always been a high-level wrestler with Division I All-American credentials, but asking a veteran with his extensive injury history to lock horns with a prime Chimaev is objectively hilarious.

Chimaev is an absolute nightmare on the mat. He ragdolls elite middleweights for fun inside the octagon, and now he gets to tee off on a late replacement in a pure freestyle wrestling format.

Anyone looking at the betting markets for this Abu Dhabi showcase is going to see odds that look like a typo. You do not need to be a sharp to realize the implied probability of Weidman surviving this without getting launched into the third row is aggressively low.

Ultimately, this keeps the RAF card intact and gives the Abu Dhabi crowd a recognizable name to cheer for. Weidman gets a nice payday for his bravery, Chimaev gets a live sparring session, and Covington gets to heal up while talking trash from a very safe distance.