Surgeon says former UFC champ Anderson Silva faces long recovery but should heal

TORONTO – Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is recovering in a Las Vegas hospital and faces a long recovery from a badly broken leg.

But his surgeon expects complete healing from the gruesome injury, saying the 38-year-old Brazilian star will eventually be able to resume mixed martial arts training.

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A titanium rod and three screws were inserted in Silva’s tibia after he broke both the tibia and fibula in his lower left leg kicking title-holder Chris Weidman in the main event of UFC 168 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

READ MORE: Weidman defends UFC belt when Silva injures leg

Dr. Steven Sanders, the UFC’s orthopedic surgeon who operated on Silva, says he expects the fighter’s fracture to heal in three to six months, with a time frame of six to nine months before trying to resume training.

Saturday’s fight was stopped at 1:16 of the second round, with Weidman declared the winner. Silva was stretchered out of the cage and taken to hospital.