Despite his willingness to continue fighting, Anderson Silva is still haunted by “ghosts” from the gruesome leg injury he suffered in a UFC middleweight title bout against Chris Weidman back in December 2013.
The sickening image of Silva’s broken leg flailing to the ground after slamming his shin into Weidman’s knee is forever seared into the minds of every MMA fan. Mortified cries from Silva echoed throughout the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, reminding us that even the great ones are still human.
As the stretcher carrying Silva disappeared into a sea of shocked fans, a cold dose of reality settled in over the MMA world, preparing it for the imminent retirement of perhaps the greatest fighter of all time.
But at age 39, Silva surprised fans by vowing to return to fighting after undergoing extensive physical and mental rehabilitation work. In speaking with Fantastico, per MMAFighting.com, he confirmed that he was over the physical hurdle, but there is still a ways to go before he is mentally prepared to compete again:
I feel no pain at all. My strength is back because I’m back to training. The hardest part is self-confidence, to kick again as I used to.
I’ve worked with a psychologist so I can get rid of the ghosts of those horrible moments of that fight, when I had that accident. I’m a little apprehensive in training. I know I can execute the movement, but I end up not doing it for fear.
Yeah, I won’t get hurt. I know I won’t get hurt, but fear is natural. I don’t want to feel that pain ever again. No way.
Silva is expected to make his long-awaited return on January 31 at UFC 183, where he’ll meet former Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz in the headliner. The controversial welterweight star recently came out of retirement and agreed upon the blockbuster bout at 185 pounds.
This is the kind of fun and exciting bout that keeps Silva’s spirits up about fighting.
For “The Spider,” the title of “UFC fighter” is no longer about winning a world title and standing alone on the mountaintop. He has accomplished things no other fighter has ever accomplished in MMA.
Perhaps it’s time to leave the burden of being champion to someone else.
Silva said:
I’m over this thing of being champion, having the title. The truth is, there will only be one Ayrton Senna, there will only be one Pele, and there will only be one Anderson Silva, so whoever saw me (as champion), saw me. Who haven’t seen me (as champion), won’t see it.
In a way you’ll see me [fight again], but not for the belt, that thing of being champion again. I don’t have patience for this. I think I’m closer to retirement every day.
Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
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