Anderson Silva Knockout

A soft-spoken suburban dad from Long Island, with two adorable children and a master's degree from Hofstra University now has something else in his biography: UFC middleweight champion.

Chris Weidman, a 29-year-old Baldwin native, knocked out the legendary Anderson Silva in the second-round of their title fight Saturday night, sending shockwaves through the mixed martial arts world.

"I felt I was destined for this, but it still felt a little far-fetched," Weidman said after the fight. "I've had to do it a million times in my head, but for it to actually happen, it still feels surreal."

Silva, 38, was considered the Michael Jordan of MMA. A lethal striker and submission artist, he hadn't been beaten in nearly a decade.

Weidman, on the other hand, only turned pro four years ago.

"He's unbeatable, the Bruce Lee of mixed martial arts," Weidman added in his humble post-fight speech. "Thank God for giving me the power to do it."

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Weidman is built more like a missile than a tank.

Ray Longo, a veteran MMA coach who trains Weidman at his gym in Garden City, described his student as the rare wrestler who is equally skilled in striking and submission techniques.

"He's picked up the striking like nobody I've ever seen," said Longo, who was in Weidman's corner Saturday night.

In the lead-up to the championship showdown, several top UFC fighters picked Weidman to prevail — a testament to what the former All-American wrestler has accomplished in just four years.

In 2009, Weidman was a wrestling coach at Hofstra University — scrimping by on $15,000 a year and sleeping on his parents’ couch as he completed his master's degree in physical education.

He decided to give mixed martial arts a shot — but first he had to get the okay from his then-fiancee, Marivi.

She had one condition.

"If you come home with one black eye, it's over," Weidman recalled her telling him. “You're not doing that anymore."
Weidman quickly became a sensation, reeling off nine consecutive victories after turning pro.






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