Chris Weidman, Former UFC Champ, Retires After 15 Years W/ Promotion

Chris Weidman, the UFC's former middleweight champion, who battled back after gruesomely breaking his leg in the Octagon, just announced he's laying down his gloves.

"I'm here to tell you guys I'm hanging up the gloves in the UFC. I'm no longer going to be fighting for the organization that changed my life in so many ways. I'm just super appreciative to everybody who got me here," 40-year-old Weidman said on the UFC 311 weigh-in show.

"I just want to thank the UFC for all the opportunities they've given me. It's really become a family, from the Fertitta brothers to Dana White to Hunter Campbell. Joe Silva, the matchmaker who brought me into the UFC originally. Mick Maynard, and all the staff at the UFC. They're all just like family. They're all amazing people. It's just time to move on."

It's unclear if Chris plans to fight elsewhere.

If "The All-American" is done in the cage ... he's had a helluva career. Chris was part of one of the biggest upsets ever ... when he beat Anderson Silva, and took his title and UFC 162 in mid-2013.

Weidman also defeated the likes of Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Damian Maia, and Kelvin Gastelum over the years.

Of course, Weidman broke his leg against Uriah Hall in the opening moments of his UFC 261 fight ... and missed over two years while recovering.

But, Chris, not one to give up ... quite literally fought his way back to the Octagon, ultimately beating Bruno Silva in March 2024.

Weidman's last fight was against Eryk Anders ... a December 2024 scrap he lost by TKO.