If you thought UFC 168 marked the end of Anderson Silva's mixed martial arts career, you are not alone. After all, when UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman checked a Silva kick and Silva's leg practically wrapped itself around Weidman's shin, things looked pretty bleak for the former middleweight champion.
Yet, here we are not far removed from that December 28, 2013 fight card and we're seeing photos of Silva practically every other day that show him making strides toward recovery.
It's pretty amazing when you think about it. Silva's leg break was one of the most hideous injuries in UFC history. He left the Octagon that night strapped to a stretcher screaming in pain, and headed toward the hospital where he would undergo immediate surgery. The surgery, performed by Dr. Steven Sanders left a rod in Silva's left tibia.
On Saturday night, UFC president Dana White, speaking to media after the UFC 170 post-fight press conference gave an update on Silva's condition. White filled in the details that were lacking from the images and videos that have been floating around recently.
White said that he had talked to Silva's doctor on Saturday night, "He showed me Silva's bone tonight, and he said, ‘This is actually crazy. Look at all the bone growth that he has in eight weeks.' He said sometimes you don't see that kind of bone growth in people over a couple of years. Pretty crazy."
White said the doctor was optimistic that Silva could be back fighting by the end of 2014. Of that timeline the UFC president said, "It's very optimistic. We'll see what happens. Anything can happen. He can hurt it again in training or anything is possible. He could start training and not feel the same. We'll just see how it all plays out."
White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta will get an idea of what Silva wants to do when they travel to Los Angeles to meet with Silva at his home.