The sports world, particularly MMA, can be extremely cruel sometimes, but athletes will stick together — even if they’re former foes.
Eight years ago at UFC 168, in a rematch with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman checked a low leg kick which broke Silva’s left fibula and tibia.
In a stunning turn of events, Weidman would go on to suffer the same fate. At UFC 261, Weidman faced Uriah Hall in a rematch, 11 years in the making. The very first strike thrown was a leg kick, checked by Hall, that snapped Weidman’s leg – in what was one of the worse sports injuries you will ever see. A carbon copy of Silva’s own mishap.
Weidman was stretchered out of the arena and admitted to the hospital. According to UFC President Dana White, he was to have surgery on Sunday.
Weidman’s former foe, Silva, took to Instagram to give his condolences.
“My deepest and most sincere sentiments champ. Have faith, I wish you a speedy recovery. In this moment I wish you and your family light, love and knowledge,” Silva wrote. “To the fans of the sport, please respect this moment of this incredible warrior and let’s wish that he is 100% very recovered soon. May God bless you and your family @chrisweidman”
The whole situation was eerie. The man who broke Anderson Silva’s leg in a rematch suffers the same injury in a rematch with another fighter. The odds of that happening to the same athlete are astronomical, especially given the rarity of the injury.
With luck, however, like Silva, Chris Weidman can recover from the injury and return to competition down the line. And like Silva, we wish him all the best in his recovery.
