Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has displayed the scars he bears from the sickening leg break suffered in his short-lived contest with Uriah Hall this month – telling fans he will recover from the harrowing setback.
Weidman collapsed in agony just 17 seconds into his clash with fellow veteran Hall at UFC 261 in Florida last weekend, after his right leg snapped gruesomely as he attempted a low kick on his rival.
WARNING: GRAPHIC
The grisly injury was among the worst ever seen inside the UFC octagon, and was eerily reminiscent of the leg break suffered by Brazilian legend Anderson Silva, coincidently in a title fight with Weidman back in 2013.
Weidman, 36, updated fans on social media on Thursday by sharing the scars of the emergency surgery he underwent in the aftermath of the injury, also sharing some stomach-churning footage and details.
“I just undressed my injury. The cut on the back of the calf is from when I stepped down in octagon, and bone went through calf muscle and skin,” Weidman wrote.
“Special thanks to Dr. Davidson and @heatherlinden from @ufc PI [Performance Institute] for setting me up with everything I need and hooking me up with Dr. Hsu out of Charlotte to get me back on my feet.
“I was waiting two weeks to take off the dressing, but Dr. Hsu wanted me to do it immediately. I know there are many worried about me, including family friends and fans. I will be good, love you all,” the fighter added.
Earlier this week, Weidman had shared X-rays of his newly-repaired limb and has since been discharged from hospital, heading home to South Carolina on a private jet.
“I can’t thank [Dana White] and [the UFC] enough for taking care of my family and me during these challenging times,” Weidman wrote.
“These are the sort of things they do for us that people don’t get to see. Instead of being in pain on a public plane or stuck in a car forever, they chartered us a plane straight from the hospital to our house.”
Weidman said in an Instagram video that he was hoping to be able to walk without crutches in around eight weeks, with a timeline of between six and 12 months before he can return to training.
Former rival Silva, 46, was able to return just over 12 months after his similarly grotesque leg break against Weidman eight years ago, and remained active in the UFC until last October before he retired from MMA.
Silva had sent his well-wishes to Weidman in the immediate aftermath of the injury and added to that in a new interview with Ag Fight by urging the American to be patient with his recovery.
“It felt like it happened to me again,” Silva said. “Really bad. Only a person who has gone through that knows what it is like, and they wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I was really upset.
“The coming days, months, will be hard. He’ll need to be patient, he’ll have to be very calm. He needs to have his family with him, because it won’t be easy."
Also on rt.com UFC legend Silva pens note to Weidman after horror leg break – in eerie coincidence with Brazilian’s own injury 7 years ago“A thousand things go through your mind. Of course everyone has their personality, but I believe he’ll overcome this. His mind is very strong.
“He has the mind of a champion. He knows how to handle adversities and I’m sure he’ll get through this. Soon enough well see him fighting again.”
After the premature conclusion to their contest – which ended up being Weidman’s sixth defeat in his last eight octagon outings – Uriah Hall said he “owed” his stricken opponent another fight, should he make a comeback.