Rashad Evans Says Weidman Good Enough to Contend at 205, Deserves Shot at Silva

Chris Weidman could be the next breakout superstar the MMA world has been waiting for.

The 28-year-old prodigy has offered everything but his soul for an opportunity to challenge Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title.

He even offered the champ an immediate rematch at Madison Square Garden in New York City if he pulls off the upset.

Still, every proposal has been swatted down like a pestering insect seeking attention from the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Fortunately for Weidman, it appears as if fate is on his side.

Every potential contender for Silva's UFC title has fallen in recent defeats. Even former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans, who was rumored to drop to middleweight to challenge Silva, lost a surprising unanimous decision to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 156 on Saturday night.

Silva fans haven't been pleased with Weidman constantly begging for a UFC title shot, but it would be ludicrous to say he's undeserving. He boasts an undefeated record, with his last pair of wins coming over top-10 opposition.

Unfortunately, he has yet to develop a marquee name as opposed to some of Silva's other options, but this is also what makes him so dangerous. There is a bit of mystery surrounding Weidman that keeps both Silva and fans on edge about the true depth of his skills.

If Evans' recent comments to MMAFighting's Ariel Helwani hold any weight, Weidman could be even more dangerous than initially perceived.

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"Do I think Weidman is worthy of [a shot at Anderson Silva]? Heck yeah, he's an animal, he's a beast, he's the toughest guy in that division, and he'd probably be one of the toughest guys in my division too. He's a beast."

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Perhaps "The All-American" is the UFC's best-kept secret.