Is Weidman vs. Rockhold Truly The Greatest Middleweight Title Fight Of All-Time?

The UFC middleweight division has essentially been ruled by one man.

With only six champions in division history, which is the least for any weight class greater than featherweight, the 185-pound roster is one built on consistency and perennial greatness.

Former titleholder Anderson Silva is not only the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time, but also the most recognizable name the division has ever seen. His seven-year epoch as king remains the most dominant reign in UFC history, but his destruction subsequently left the middleweight faction bare.

Since his defeat to current champion Chris Weidman at UFC 162, the division has been rejuvenated. With an increased group of worthy title contenders and strong prospects on the rise, the roster’s outlook has never looked better.

But what makes things even more exciting is that Weidman’s upcoming title defense opposite surging finisher Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 has the potential to go down as the best title fight the 185-pound class has ever witnessed.

Due in part to Silva’s sheer mastery and a dilapidated set of contenders that roamed the hallways no more than a few years ago, the present state of the division may be the most competitive ever.

Here are four defining reasons as to why Weidman vs. Rockhold will claim the rightful title as the best championship tilt in middleweight history.

1) Skill

There’s a reason why Weidman is undefeated inside of the Octagon. He has demonstrated an ability to adapt to any type of fighter.

From Anderson Silva to Demian Maia, and Vitor Belfort to Mark Munoz, the undisputed middleweight champion has succeeded with flying colors. Weidman’s perennial prosperity can be directly associated to his sheer athleticism, elite wrestling, powerful ground-and-pound, and an evolved standup game.

But as well-rounded as “The All-American” is, Rockhold is just as even-keeled. His striking is rangy, powerful, and precise, yet not the most formidable. His wrestling is well-disciplined, fueled by training camps alongside Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, yet it is not perfect. And his grappling, while tactical, quick, and relevant at all times during a fight, is suppressible.

Despite Rockhold’s lack of an elite discipline, it is his ability to fuse all aspects of his game together at any given time that makes him such a dangerous Octagon entity. He changes levels very well, understands how to exchange from distance while avoiding damage, and has become very crafty with his transitions and scrambles.

Weidman, while capable of striking with anyone at 185 pounds, offers a little more on the ground. His wrestling is arguably the best the middleweight division has ever succumbed to, and his exemplary grappling skills are a direct product of Matt Serra‘s undying tutelage.

On paper, these two are extremely similar. Rockhold is certainly a more explosive striker who offers shiftier footwork, but Weidman’s forward movement and heavy hands could even the playing field. In all likelihood, this championship grudge match will unravel at all corners of the cage.

2) USA!

Not everyone is sold on the fact that Weidman and Rockhold both hail from the states, especially when you ask the Brazilian nation which has had one of their own fighting for the middleweight title every time since Rich Franklin defeated David Loiseau back at UFC 58.

That’s a long history of dominance, but understandable when you consider that Silva was at the helm for roughly 90 percent of that time.

Now, the UFC will have two Americans fighting for the title for the first time since 2005 (Franklin vs. Nate Quarry). No Vitor Belfort. No Lyoto Machida. No Silva. It will be Weidman vs. Rockhold.

Their UFC 194 matchup is one that will be sure to deliver inside of the cage, but for casual fight fans watching around the country, having two Americans putting it all on the line for gold serves as a sentimental throwback that they can immediately connect with. While Brazilians like Belfort and Machida encompass some of the best skill sets this sport has ever seen, they’ve struggled to sell big here in the states (similar to Jose Aldo). Silva is the only exception to this reality simply due to the fact that he was the best fighter ever.

Americans often want to see other Americans compete. So even though thriving contenders like Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Yoel Romero could one day fight for a championship, Weidman vs. Rockhold brings a little something extra to the table.

3) Unpredictability

Even in a sport as calculated and blueprinted as mixed martial arts, the idea of unpredictability is the driving factor of its success.

If everyone knew how a fight was going to end, who was going to win, and when they were going to do it, what’s the point? Having the unknown flying over head is as important as the fighters themselves.

Luckily for fight fans who have channeled this belief in the past, Weidman vs. Rockhold is one of those fights that seems to possesses a little more uncertainty than other matchups. This isn’t a meeting between a wrestling and striker, or striker and grappler. Instead, it’s a close-knit contest between two superior athletes in their prime, each capable of inflicting damage from all angles

In the past, we’ve seen Weidman dissect guys like Belfort and Machida based on his ability to wrestling them down. Just like we’ve seen Rockhold use his strength to out-muscle Machida and Michael Bisping. Those previous likely outcomes will not be present at UFC 194 on Dec. 12. Weidman and Rockhold offer too much variety for this championship bout to be depicted by one discipline, meaning we’ll see a little bit of everything as long as one of them doesn’t land a perfectly-timed knockout blow.

Overshadowed by Aldo’s long-awaited defense opposite McGregor, Weidman vs. Rockhold has all the necessary ingredients to become an all-time division best.