UFC middleweight contender Alan Belcher expects to be back in action in 2011. His doctors say he should be able to resume contact training in January. But it was a very close call.

From MMA Weekly :

""It was actually kind of sporadic, but the doctor he’s not really sure if it was one blow or what, but for some reason I had some tears in my retina and it caused it to detach. I didn’t even realize anything was happening until I was down in Brazil training for the Demian Maia fight, and then all of a sudden just lost most of my vision in my eye," Belcher told MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday.

Not realizing the severity of the injury right away, Belcher ended up extending his stay in Brazil, although in retrospect he fully admits that was a mistake. Once he set foot back on American soil, he had to be rushed in right away for surgery on the injury that had career-ending potential.

"I came back and had to have emergency surgery," Belcher commented. "I had the first surgery and then it detached again about 5 weeks later, and I had to have another surgery."