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UFC 162 weigh-in: Anderson Silva initiates contact with Chris Weidman

All 22 fighters make weight in front of thousands at Mandalay Bay

UFC 162 Weigh In

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman touch lips as they face off during the weigh in for UFC 162 Friday, July 5, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

UFC 162 Weigh-In

Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman touch lips as they face off during the weigh in for UFC 162 Friday, July 5, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Launch slideshow »

In a question and answer session with fans Friday afternoon, UFC President Dana White said his second favorite thing behind fight night was watching the stare downs up close at weigh-ins.

That love only figures to strengthen after the UFC 162 weigh-in. The headlining fighters treated the near-capacity crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center to a show before the show with White to the side flashing a wide grin.

Anderson Silva (184) and Chris Weidman (185) shook hands after making weight, but then ditched cordiality for conflict. Weidman closed the distance between the two and an apparently offended Silva responded by pressing his face into the challenger’s until White broke the two apart.

“He has nice lips,” Weidman joked after announcer Joe Rogan asked him how it was to kiss Silva. “My wife, don’t get jealous.”

Earlier in the day, White explained that he liked to analyze fighters’ mannerisms and body language when they faced off with their opponents for the final time before fight night. He had plenty to digest in this case.

Silva looked irritated with Weidman for the first time since the two began promoting their bout months ago. Weidman never backed down, symbolic for the way the UFC has promoted him as a challenger immune to intimidation tactics.

“He’s not going to beat me before we step into that cage like he beat a lot of other guys,” Weidman said in a video shown at the weigh-in.

Fans booed Weidman when he first walked out from behind the curtain, but cheers took over a few moments later. He got jeered again after making weight.

Brazilians turned out in swarms to support one of their country’s most popular athletes. Silva acted as eccentric as ever, pretending to convulse while on the scale and when asked to give a final comment.

“All the fighters that fight tomorrow is the best in the world, not me,” Silva said. “Chris has a chance to go for the belt tomorrow. I go to fight for my defense. That’s it.”

Fighting outside of the main event for the first time in four years, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (146) was the only other fighter to receive a reaction on par with the ones reserved for the main event. Featherweight opponent Charles Oliveira (144) made a move not unlike the one Silva would a few minutes later by pressing his face into Edgar’s.

Edgar stood on his tippy-toes to match Oliveira’s height, but the two separated without incident and shared a handshake. The only other time White had to intervene was when lightweight Norman Parke (156) rammed his forehead into opponent Kazuki Tokudome (155).

It’s tough to say exactly what White took out of the weigh-in, but Weidman gave off nothing other than confident cues.

“He’s the man, but this is my time to shine,” Weidman said of Silva before walking off the stage. “Tomorrow night, history is being made. Love it or hate it, I’m coming out on top.”

Check below for full results from the UFC 162 weigh-in.

Middleweight championship bout: Anderson Silva (184) vs. Chris Weidman (185)

Featherweight bout: Frankie Edgar (146) vs. Charles Oliveira (144)

Middleweight bout: Tim Kennedy (186) vs. Roger Gracie (185)

Middleweight bout: Mark Munoz (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)

Featherweight bout: Cub Swanson (144) vs. Dennis Siver (145)

Welterweight bout: Chris Leben (186) vs. Andrew Craig (186)

Lightweight bout: Norman Parke (156) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (155)

Heavyweight bout: Gabriel Gonzaga (262) vs. Dave Herman (242)

Lightweight bout: Edson Barboza (155) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (155)

Welterweight bout: Seth Baczynski (170) vs. Brian Melancon (170)

Welterweight bout: Mike Pierce (171) vs. David Mitchell (171)

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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