By Edward Chaykovsky
Russian promoter Vladimir "красивый" Hryunov, and 44-year-old former champion Roy Jones Jr. (57-8, 40KOs), were shocked by the unexpected ending to the rematch between 38-year-old Anderson Silva (33-6 in MMA, 16-2 in the UFC) and Chris Weidman (11-0).
Hryunov was planning to stage a cross-sport showdown between the two fighters. Earlier, Weidman knocked out Silva in the second round, snapping Silva's near seven year undefeated run and 16-0 streak in the UFC.
On Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Silva was stopped in the second round after a Weidman checked his leg kick - and Silva badly broke his left shin and fell to the mat in pain. Replays showed the shin grotesquely snapping in half.
Jones made good on his promise, traveling to Las Vegas to watch the rematch from ringside (pictured below at the MGM), as he hoped to challenge Silva after the match. The injury to Silva will keep him on the shelf for a very long time, potentially for most of next year and might end his fighting career for good.
After years of calling each other out, the battle between Jones and Silva was never meant to happen.
