Even if you’re not a fan of the UFC or MMA in general, if you were on the internet you probably saw one of the most grotesque injuries I’ve ever seen in sports. It was the GIF that went round the world. Anderson Silva, arguably the greatest martial artist of all time, threw an inside leg kick. His opponent Chris Weidman checked the kick with the upper part of his shin and the rest is history.
Silva’s leg basically bent round Weidman’s shin in a vomit-inducing injury that most expected would end Silva’s career. Silva’s tibula and fibula were both broken as a result of the kick.
But the doctor’s prognosis was positive. Silva is expected to be training within six to nine months and will be able to throw kicks at full force within a year. Anderson Silva has already stated his intentions: he wants to come back and he wants to fight again. This April he will turn 39. He is already extremely old for a mixed martial artist, but if anyone can do it, it’s Anderson Silva.
However, right now, Anderson can’t even walk without crutches.
TMZ managed to completely swarm Anderson Silva and his family, gaining an impromptu interview with the injured fighter (in part a result of Silva’s incredible patience). During the interview he admitted that all he’s doing right now is playing video games.
He was asked if he picked up any other interests because of his injuries.
“Yeah,” he began, in his trademark broken English. “I play now video games!”
Is normal.
“I play football. Winning 11 [Pro Evolution Soccer in Australia]. And Call of Duty.”
It’s almost ironic. For the decade Anderson Silva has fought in a style that came straight from a video game. Now he’s spending most of his time playing them. Good luck to Anderson Silva in recovering from what looked like a career-ending injury.
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