When the news broke on May 17 that former middleweight champion Chris Weidman was forced out of the UFC 199 main event against champion Luke Rockhold, Uriah Hall offered to step in. Hall was healthy and in shape. He was expected to fight Anderson Silva at UFC 198 on May 14, but Silva was forced to withdraw days before the event.
Hall tweeted that day that he was the only one ready.
I’ve had a full camp I’m the only one ready https://t.co/DpbAGh7wHf
— U R I A H H A L L (@UriahHallMMA) May 17, 2016
The UFC opted to offer the fight to Michael Bisping. Rockhold holds a win over Bisping. He submitted The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner in November 2014. After the announcement was made, Hall tweeted that it was a ‘smart move’ on Rockhold’s part to take the fight with Bisping instead of him.
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He knew I had a full camp so bisping would be easy coming off 2 weeks .. Smart move .
— U R I A H H A L L (@UriahHallMMA) May 18, 2016
Hall is ranked 10th in the middleweight division and is coming off a loss to Robert Whittaker. Bisping is riding a three-fight winning streak and is coming off a decision win over Anderson Silva in his last outing. The Brit is ranked fourth in the 185-pound weight class.