December 28, 2013, remains a date etched permanently into the memory of mixed martial arts fans. UFC 168 was meant to be the glorious return of a legend—the rematch between Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Chris Weidman for the Middleweight Championship. Instead, it became the scene of arguably the most devastating injury ever witnessed inside the Octagon. Yet, what transpired moments before Silva was rushed into emergency surgery reveals far more about the psychology of a true champion than any victory ever could.
The Catastrophe at UFC 168
Five months prior, Weidman had shockingly ended Silva`s historic reign—a seventeen-fight winning streak and a tenure that defined the division. The rematch was fueled by Silva`s quest for redemption and an immediate recapture of his 185-pound crown. The intensity of this rivalry culminated just over a minute into the second round.
Silva launched a low leg kick at Weidman. A split second later, the sound of the impact was immediately drowned out by the audible snap, followed by the stunned silence of the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd in Las Vegas. Weidman’s successful block resulted in a catastrophic compound fracture of Silva`s left leg, fracturing both the tibia and the fibula. The fight was immediately halted. The former champion lay on the canvas, his professional future instantly shrouded in uncertainty.
The Ultimate Display of Mental Fortitude
The severity of the injury necessitated immediate, intricate surgical intervention. Anderson Silva was transported directly to the hospital, placed under the care of the UFC’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Steven Sanders. For most athletes facing such trauma, the immediate concerns are pain management, the success of the operation, and the length of recovery time. But Anderson Silva is not most athletes.
Dr. Sanders, reflecting on the moments just before the Brazilian legend was anesthetized, recalled a question that defied the grim reality of the situation.
“In the pre-op area, his questions were, ‘When can I train?’”
This was not a question of when he could walk, or when he could live without pain. It was a question focused purely on the resumption of his professional duties. This single inquiry, posed while facing an operating table to fix a shattered limb, served as a profound testament to Silva’s singular, unyielding commitment to competition.
The Long Road Back to the Octagon
The recovery process for such a dual fracture is protracted and brutal. For an athlete reliant on precise movement and explosive power, the rehabilitation period required intense discipline and technical consistency. Silva did, however, eventually fulfill the implied promise of his pre-surgery question.
Thirteen months after the devastating setback, “The Spider” returned to competition, facing Nick Diaz. He successfully navigated the psychological and physical hurdles, securing a unanimous decision victory (a result later overturned to a No Contest due to anti-doping violations, an unfortunate asterisk on his return).
A Legacy Defined by Resilience
Anderson Silva`s career progression following UFC 168 was marked by flashes of brilliance interspersed with understandable periods of decline. However, the story of his career cannot be told without highlighting that moment in the pre-operative room. It solidifies his status not just as a prodigious talent, but as an athlete possessing a rare, almost clinical degree of mental tenacity. The leg break tried to end his career; his mindset simply dismissed the interruption as a temporary inconvenience.
Now, well into his 40s and approaching the age of 50, Silva continues his involvement in combat sports, having recently stepped into the boxing ring, notably defeating Tyron Woodley. Even now, he remains a target for the next generation of combatants, with figures like Yoel Romero actively calling him out for a potential boxing matchup. The fighting spirit that prompted that iconic question to Dr. Sanders back in 2013 has evidently never faded.
The moment Silva broke his leg may have been one of the most difficult to watch in UFC history, but his immediate reaction transformed it into one of the most inspiring displays of athletic resilience ever recorded.
Percy Harlow 
Gareth Fenton