"Hope he hangs them up" - Fans urge Chris Weidman to retire after "early stoppage" loss against Eryk Anders at UFC 310

Eryk Anders delivered a stellar performance at UFC 310, defeating former middleweight champion Chris Weidman via TKO in the second round. While Weidman showed glimpses of his old form in a competitive first round, Anders dominated the second, taking him to the ground and landing decisive strikes that forced the referee to step in.

The victory marked a significant moment for Anders, who has turned his career around with two consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Weidman, now 40, suffered his second loss in three fights after recovering from a devastating leg injury he sustained against Uriah Hall at UFC 261.

Fans quickly took to social media, urging the former champion to consider retirement. One fan commented:

"Was thinking we’d see Weidman put his gloves on the canvas. Dude is a legend. But he’s absolutely shot. Hope he hangs them up."

Another wrote:

"Amazing fight, but I believe Weidman should start thinking of retirement."

Another added:

“Damn.. ref let Chris get beat on for 3 mins only to end it with 10 sec left 😂”

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Chris Weidman's loss at UFC 310. [Screenshots courtesy: X]

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When Dana White urged Chris Weidman to retire after suffering heavy damage in comeback fight

Brad Tavares derailed Chris Weidman’s return at UFC 292, securing a dominant unanimous decision victory in the featured prelim. For Weidman, it marked a tough comeback after a near-career-ending broken leg sidelined him for over two years.

Despite his resilience, he had no answers for Tavares’ relentless leg kicks, which inflicted heavy damage.

All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Tavares, who rebounded from two consecutive losses. From the opening bell, Tavares set the tone with sharp strikes and targeted Weidman’s left leg—ironically, the healthy one.

By the second round, Weidman was visibly limping, forced to switch stances, and struggled to mount an effective offense.

The brutal assault culminated in significant knee damage for Weidman, with UFC CEO Dana White confirming a likely ligament tear. Speaking to reporters post-fight, White urged the former champion to consider retirement:

“I love Chris Weidman. I love him, I love his family, and I think he should retire. We talked to the doctor, the doctor thinks [Weidman] blew one of the ‘CLs’ [in his knee]. The guy’s just coming back from a gruesome injury... Father Time is not our friend at all, but definitely, if you’re a professional athlete. Depending on the damage to the knee, you’re talking another year. I would say, ‘Chris, I love you. Please retire." [H/t: Bloody Elbow]