UFC Legend Demands Fast-Track Push For Rising Star Tommy McMillen
By 813 Staff
Front office sources reveal UFC Legend Demands Fast-Track Push For Rising Star Tommy McMillen, according to Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) (this morning).
Source: https://x.com/Home_of_Fight/status/2099779347687109098
Chris Weidman has never been one to bite his tongue, and the former middleweight champion is at it again. The UFC needs to stop slow-playing Tommy McMillen and get him into meaningful fights now, Weidman said in comments circulating after Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) flagged his position on the rising prospect. The tweet, posted September 15, 2026, captured the essence of Weidman's argument without the full context, but those close to the situation say the message was consistent with what Weidman has been telling people privately for weeks.
McMillen, for those who have not been paying attention, has been one of the more intriguing names on the regional and developmental scene. League sources confirm the UFC matchmaking team has been quietly evaluating several options for him, weighing whether to give him a step-up fight on a numbered card or build him more slowly through a Fight Night headliner. That internal debate is exactly the kind of thing Weidman is pushing back against.
The veteran's logic is simple, and it is one that resonates with a lot of people in the gyms. When a fighter has the tools, the durability, and the draw, delaying the climb does not protect him. It stalls him. Weidman knows this firsthand. He was fast-tracked himself on the way to the title, and he has spoken often about how those early tests shaped him. Agents around the sport have made the same point to the front office, though not always as loudly.
Why it matters goes beyond one fighter. The UFC's middleweight division is in a transitional phase. Several contenders are aging out, and the promotion needs fresh blood at the top of the card. If McMillen is as ready as Weidman believes, the window to capitalize is now, not eighteen months from now. A fast-tracked McMillen also gives the matchmakers flexibility they currently lack.
What happens next is less clear. The UFC has not commented publicly on Weidman's remarks, and sources caution that no specific fight has been signed. The expectation, according to those familiar with the matchmaking calendar, is that McMillen will be booked before the end of the year, possibly on a card in December. Whether that opponent represents a true step up or another measured test remains the central question. For now, Weidman has made his position known, and the front office has heard it.
Source: https://x.com/Home_of_Fight/status/2099779347687109098
