For Chris Weidman of Baldwin, New York, fighting in the UFCs maiden Madison Square Garden card always appeared to be a shoe-in. However, the neck injury he sustained earlier this year made it a long shot.If I would have done the fusion, the chances of me fighting in New York would have been really tough, Weidman told ESPN.com regarding some initial recommendations by physicians. It would have been really pushing it.On May 17, Weidman (13-1) was removed from a middleweight title rematch with Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 due to a cervical disk herniation. After undergoing an MRI, Weidman met with three different doctors, all of whom suggested fusion surgery to repair the injury. Facing a serious procedure with a prolonged recovery time, Weidman decided to educate himself and get different opinions because neck [surgery] is a scary surgery.Two opinions that provided hope for Weidman came from UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle. Both former standout wrestlers recommended that Weidman meet with Dr. Hae Dong Jho in Pittsburgh, who developed a non-invasive surgery with a shorter recovery time.Five days after the man who replaced him at UFC 199, Michael Bisping, captured the belt in an upset, Weidman underwent surgery in New York with Dr. K. Daniel Riew. Two weeks after the surgery, the former champ felt like I could do everything again. After six weeks, he was back to full training. A few months later -- with a neck thats feeling great -- The All-American set his sights toward a spot in the first card at the worlds most famous arena.For one of the preeminent faces of New York MMA -- a man whose hometown held a day in his honor for beating Anderson Silva -- Weidman will get his chance to fight in front of his local fans against Yoel Romero (11-1). Gone are the days of 3-hour-plus drives to Atlantic City, where Weidman made his debut with Ring of Combat. Now, Weidmans local fans can take the Long Island Rail Road directly to MSG.Weidman was part of the UFCs campaign to get the sport legalized, and when the vote passed the legislature via a 113-25 margin on March 22, he told WICZ-Binghamton it was a dream come true. Now, nearly eight months later, Weidman is ready to make the walk.I dont really feel extra nervous that its in New York, Weidman said. I put a lot of pressure on myself just to go out there and dominate and separate myself from the guy Im standing across from. I dont think you can put more pressure on yourself than that.Romero is an Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling, and this battle between the third- (Weidman) and fourth-ranked (Romero) middleweights, according to ESPN.com, offers an interesting test to see which fighters wrestling skills translate better inside the cage.According to FightMetric, Weidman completes nearly double the amount of takedowns (3.52-to-1.85) as Romero, and at a much higher percentage (55-35). Weidman edges Romero in takedown defense percentage as well (81-75). It will be both fighters first bouts since last Decembers UFC 194. While Weidman lost his championship belt to Rockhold via fourth-round TKO, Romero defeated Ronaldo Jacare Souza by split decision for his seventh consecutive victory.A month later, Romero was flagged for a potential violation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Facing up to a two-year ban, the 39-year-old claimed the positive test was due to a contaminated supplement he was taking. USADA independently confirmed the claim, which led to the two sides agreeing to a reduced six-month suspension. Despite Romero getting cleared, Weidman still has his suspicions about his opponent this Saturday.Theres such gray area in there where you can set it up to where you look innocent. Anybody who fails a drug test, in my eyes, you failed a drug test -- thats on you, and youve got to live with that, Weidman said. Im just hoping that USADA is drug testing him. If he is taking stuff, I hope hes crapping his pants that USADA is going to hopefully catch on to whatever theyre all taking.This fight isnt necessarily a No. 1 contenders bout; however, the pathway to a title shot became easier when Rockhold pulled out of his Nov. 26 fight against Souza with a knee injury. Other top middleweights are in action later this month, too. Gegard Mousasi, ranked sixth according to ESPN.com, looks to avenge a loss to Uriah Hall on Nov. 19. Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson, ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, square off on the 26th in Australia.The current champ Bisping has already told SiriusXM Rush he wouldnt want to fight Romero if victorious due to the positive drug test.As for the former champ Weidman, hes only looking to control whats ahead of him.I think good things happen if I just go out there and do what I feel like I can do against Romero, Weidman said. I cant waste my time thinking about different scenarios and if its unfair or not unfair. Im not at that point right now where I could do that. Im just focused on the camp, Im focused on Romero, thats it. Wholesale Nike Jerseys . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. 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When Smylie Kaufman thinks back to his victory in last years Shriners Hospital for Children Open, it makes him, well, smile.That would be the appropriate and expected response for the memory of ones first PGA Tour victory and is a natural for a golfer who goes by Smylie.As soon as I walked in the door, I had good memories being in the media room, Kaufman said Wednesday.Kaufman returns to defend his title at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas beginning Thursday, but hell have to fend off the challenge of 143 other competitors in a field thats one of the best of the autumn portion of the Tours 2016-17 wraparound season.Kaufman (whose first name is Carter; Smylie is his middle name) carded a final-round 10-under-par 61 to finish the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at 16-under 268, winning by one stroke over six players. He finished his round 2 1/2 hours before the final group holed out.His closing 61 is the lowest finish on the PGA Tour by a winner since Tommy Gainey ended the 2012 RSM Classic with a 10-under 60. His seven-stroke, come-from-behind victory was the best on Tour in the 2015-16 season.Kaufmans victory in Las Vegas was one of four top-10s in his rookie season. He also tied for 10th at both the Safeway Open and the Quicken Loans National and tied for eighth at World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship (then played at Trump-Doral in Miami).The field features three players from the victorious United States Ryder Cup squad -- Brooks Koepka, Ryan Moore and Jimmy Walker -- as well as and U.S. team captain Davis Love III.Love III returns to competition for the first time sincce hip surgery in July.dddddddddddd. The 1993 champion will make his 23rd start in Las Vegas, where he has just three missed cuts.The courses were shorter back then, and I was hitting it longer, the 52-year-old Love said. It was a time where I was playing well, and I had a good week.Loves expectations for this week arent lofty, a sentiment based on the time off caused by his surgery and his other commitments.Id like to play well and make the cut, he said. I love playing out here in the desert. So if I can stick around for the weekend, Ill be pleased.The event is the fifth tournament in the PGA Tours schedule that bridges two years with 43 events. Seven of those tournaments are during the fall of 2016. After a seven-week break, the season resumes in January with the traditional swing through Hawaii before moving to the West Coast.Nine major winners are in the field: Ernie Els of South Africa, Vijay Singh of Fiji, Keegan Bradley, Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, Webb Simpson, Love III and Walker.The top 10 finishers from the 2015 tournament have returned this season and nine other former Shriners Hospitals for Children Open champions will also compete for the $6.6 million purse ($1,188,000 that goes to the winner. They are Ben Martin (2014), Webb Simpson (2013), Ryan Moore (2012), Kevin Na (2011), Jonathan Byrd (2010), Martin Laird of Scotland (2009), Stuart Appleby of Australia (2003), Bob Estes (2001) and Love III (1993). 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