Weidman (Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Not only has Chris Weidman worked hard to become one of the sport’s top middleweights since he transitioned into MMA, but the decorated wrestler had to campaign long and hard to secure his UFC 162 bout with Anderson Silva. After Weidman sent a collective gasp throughout MMA by knocking out Mark Munoz last July, UFC President Dana White tapped the undefeated fighter as the number one contender. Weidman had to undergo shoulder surgery, however, and then Silva’s camp wasn’t overly interested in fighting a man who wasn’t one of the sport’s biggest names.

Of course, at the end of the day, Weidman’s persistent and vocal campaign paid off, and the 29 year-old will meet Silva next Saturday. The fact that Michael Bisping was stopped by Vitor Belfort in January, certainly didn’t hurt the “All-American’s” title shot mission either.

“Right after the Munoz fight it was frustrating to hear they weren’t interested,” Weidman said in a recent media call to promote the July 6th bout. “But it is what it is, and I guess when the UFC decided to make the fight happen, it happened. Everything happens for a reason, God had a plan, and it worked out. I’m real excited for the fight.”

“I’m not really thinking back into the past and worrying about how frustrated I was,” Weidman added, who has not fought since he stopped Munoz at UFC on FUEL TV 4. “I kind of gave up on that and things kind of worked out as well.”

Weidman (photo via UFC.com)

Despite the fact that Weidman has gone undefeated to date, and on paper, appears to have the grappling pedigree that could present Silva serious difficulties, “super fight” talk regarding the champ hasn’t diminished. In addition to speculation that the UFC will look to book a bout between Silva and Jon Jones, provided each man wins their next bouts, the recent media call included talk of a boxing match between Roy Jones Jr and “The Spider”.

“I think Anderson’s answering the questions the right way; he has to worry about me on July 6th,” noted Weidman, who handed Demian Maia a unanimous decision loss before facing Munoz. “I guess he can’t tell you what to ask him, but the right questions are about me and this fight on July 6th, because I think this is going to be a huge fight for the history of the UFC. I’m excited to go out there and shine.”

And what about the possibility of Weidman fighting Jones? Provided he defeats the planet’s consensus pound-for-pound best fighter next weekend?

“I’ve got to beat Anderson first, and that’s the first big step,” said Weidman. “I mean, whatever the UFC fans and UFC want to do, and the fight they want to see, I’m definitely willing to do. I’ve definitely got a big test in front of me, and my job is to shine on July 6th and show the world what I can do. I’m just really excited to do that.”

UFC 162 will be hosted by the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view.