Weidman considering move up to light heavyweight

Fed up with the lack of title fights in the middleweight division, former UFC champion Chris Weidman is considering a different route to a shot at another belt.

"My goal is to be the champ and there's no way of me getting to have the belt for two years or more just based on other people taking their time with taking fights. It's a weird place to be. It's not interesting. I mean, if 185 doesn't - like, things don't change, I want to maybe think about possibly going to 205. So we'll see," Weidman told Submission Radio, according to Jesse Holland of MMA Mania.

Michael Bisping hasn't defended his middleweight title since October and will next fight Georges St. Pierre in November at Madison Square Garden.

Weidman claimed victory over Kelvin Gastelum in July in Long Island, New York. That snapped Weidman's three-fight losing streak, consisting of defeats to Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero, and Gegard Mousasi - also the first three losses of Weidman's career.

Before Weidman considers moving up to light heavyweight, the 33-year-old is holding out hope that he could fill in at UFC 217.

"Maybe Bisping or maybe GSP gets injured, I don't know, and then I'll be ready to go for November and Bisping won't be able to scatter away from a guy like me," Weidman said. "So that would be something that would work out nice for me. I'm in New York, I'm ready to go.”

If he does ultimately move up to the 205-pound class, Weidman likes his chances.

"I think it's a little bit of a thinner division, and right now, the title picture, I don't feel like there's clear contenders."