When you think of the moments that truly shook the UFC, Chris Weidman's name is at the top of the list. The former middleweight king has been officially announced as the latest inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame's "modern wing," a honor that was revealed during Saturday's UFC 328 broadcast. It's a fitting tribute for a fighter who didn't just win a title—he redefined what it meant to be a champion.

Weidman's journey to the Octagon was anything but typical. After just four professional fights, he made his UFC debut in March 2011, carrying with him a collegiate All-American wrestling pedigree from Hofstra. But it wasn't just his grappling that made him special; it was his heart. After rattling off five straight wins, he was thrown into the deep end: a title shot against the seemingly invincible Anderson Silva in 2013.

Walking into that fight as a +210 underdog, Weidman did the unthinkable. He clipped Silva on the chin, ending Silva's legendary 10-fight title defense streak and sending shockwaves through the sport. "Chris Weidman is one of the greatest middleweights in UFC history," said Dana White. "His victories over Anderson Silva changed the landscape of the middleweight division forever."

The story didn't end there. In the rematch, Silva snapped his leg on a kick, and Weidman followed up with dominant defenses against former champions Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. But the sport is unforgiving, and Weidman's career took a sharp turn after a TKO loss to Luke Rockhold in 2015. Since then, he's gone 3-8, including a devastating leg break of his own against Uriah Hall in 2021—a haunting mirror of his victory over Silva.

Now, with an 18-6 record (14-6 in the UFC), Weidman joins a legendary 2026 class that includes Demetrious Johnson, Dominick Cruz, the epic Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk bout, and UFC editorial director. It's a legacy built on grit, resilience, and those unforgettable moments that made us all believe in the underdog.