For far too long, Chris Weidman has been treated like a placeholder atop the middleweight division. Being the successor of arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history will do that to you.
Professional wrestling great "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair always said, "To be the man, you've got to beat the man"—a feat Weidman accomplished twice.
We all remember the lead up to UFC 162 in July 2013. Weidman was a sexy pick among MMA pundits, but the vast majority saw the NCAA Division I All-American wrestler as another nameless victim to add to Anderson Silva's resume.