Chris Weidman to Make Commentary Debut at Contender Series

Chris Weidman, a former UFC middleweight champion, is set to make his debut as a color commentator on Tuesday night during the Contender Series, which will be his first experience calling live fights from cageside.

Weidman, who has been a studio analyst since his retirement, will participate in Week 5 of the show's tenth season at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. The event, featuring undefeated light heavyweight prospects Quentin Pasley and Arlind Berisha in the main event, will be streamed live on Paramount+ starting at 7 p.m. ET.

This move aligns with the UFC's strategy to introduce new broadcast voices, as seen with Michael Chiesa's recent commentary debut at UFC Shanghai. Weidman's performance could lead to future assignments for UFC Fight Night events. Known for his knockout of Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in 2013, Weidman was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Modern Wing earlier this year. His challenge will be to effectively convey his insights during the fast-paced live commentary.