Today on the MMA Hour former middleweight champion Chris Weidman shared his views on the announcement of UFC 204’s headlining bout, Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson.

Weidman’s last fight ended in a brutal ground and pound loss to Luke Rockhold, at UFC 194 last December. A rematch was in the works for a main event slot at UFC 199 but after an injury forced him to undergo surgery, it was ‘the Count’ Michael Bisping who stepped up and took his place.

On Bisping, Weidman said, “I don’t think he has much of a chance at beating anyone else in the top-5. It’s a bit weird when people ask me who the champ is in my weight class and I say “Michael Bisping”, it’s a bit embarrassing. I never thought he was championship material.”

Weidman, though respectful in his delivery had similarly harsh words for the decision by the UFC to grant the 45 year old Dan Henderson a shot at the title despite his poor run of late.

“I think it’s kind of stupid, but I don’t like complaining about something that’s already done. It is what it is. Because it’s a done deal you focus on the facts. It’s a cool thing for Dan Henderson who’s 46 years old, he has the chance to retire winning the belt. So you gotta be happy for him.”

“I just don’t think he deserves the shot at all. It sets the precedent for the future of the sport. It kind of takes away from working your way to a title. I don’t think he could argue that he deserves it given his losses recently. But he’s getting it and all the best to him.”

Henderson has recently reiterated that no matter the result, the fight will be his last as a mixed martial artist.

However, Weidman was not so sure that the benefits of being champ will be as easy to walk away from as Henderson has claimed.

“He has to realize that if he becomes champion which he has a chance of doing, then you get more opportunities, you become bigger. His next fight would be for PPV points and that’s where you get the real money. To retire on top and know you could make millions of dollars would be hard for me to actually see play out.”

Written By: Cillian Cunningham