[scorpion]

Really awful for Silva. Very unlikely he ever fights again after an injury like that. Hell, he's going to have a bitch of time just walking for quite awhile. Feel terrible for the guy, what a shitty way to go out.

I'd also say that Silva's injury makes it less likely we'll ever see GSP fight again, too. After watching Anderson get injured like that, GSP probably feels he was right to walk away on his own terms. Plus without having the Silva/GSP superfight a possibility, there's absolutely no compelling reason for GSP to set foot in the octagon again.

UFC is in a rough spot at the moment. They just lost their two biggest stars and PPV draws. Cain, Jones and Rousey are the best they have at the moment. They'll have to do better if they want to maintain their current popularity, since despite massive marketing efforts Jones and Cain haven't caught on with the public as well as the UFC would like, and Rousey is already talking about leaving MMA for Hollywood.

[cardguy]

Well it is weird.

Silva was fucking about when he got KO'ed last time.

And this time he got a bad break (literally).

Seems there has yet to be a definitive victory.

Then again - raising your knee in order to damage the guy when he is kicking is a clever defense (as mentioned above). So it is all part of the game I guess.

[Hencredible Casanova]

(12-29-2013 01:03 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

Also - is it a career ender?

I think so. Silva is already 38 and you could see during this fight he just isn't his former self. Being able to walk again will be a journey in itself. Fighting again is out of the picture IMO. Going to take a long time to recover from that snapped leg. Weidman also caught him with a vicious near-KO in the first round. Those kind of hits where your eyes roll back take a toll.

[Hencredible Casanova]

Silva in unimaginable pain immediately after the leg strike. You can see how the left leg is deformed now.

[cardguy]

I always hope those leg breaks are not as painful as they look.

Silly I know. But I always hope they are no more painful than an ordinary leg break.

[Eastside]

(12-29-2013 01:05 AM)scorpion Wrote:  

UFC is in a rough spot at the moment. They just lost their two biggest stars and PPV draws. Cain, Jones and Rousey are the best they have at the moment. They'll have to do better if they want to maintain their current popularity, since despite massive marketing efforts Jones and Cain haven't caught on with the public as well as the UFC would like, and Rousey is already talking about leaving MMA for Hollywood.

I was thinking this too. 2014 could end up being somewhat of a reloading year for the UFC. I think there is some interesting talent that could emerge though and I think the UFC might start to put more into marketing some of the lighter divisions and guys like Demetrious Johnson and Renan Barao. Who knows though. It will be interesting to see what direction they take.

[cardguy]

Will UFC become more popular than boxing? Or has it already done so?

Just curious.

I am not a big fan of MMA myself. But I am interested in how it does in the future.

[Cr33pin]

That was awful. Hate to see one of the greatest fighters if not the greatest fighter of all time end his career like that. UFC just is not the same these days. Every fighter is so well rounded and technical they kind of nullify each others skills. Back in the day it was the boxer vs the wrestler or the karate guy vs the jujitsu fighter. These days every fight is the mma fighter vs the mma fighter. They used to just throw technique out the window and slug it out. Seems like fighters these days are just trying to win the round. Every now and then with 10 seconds left in the round you will see them just throwing punches going for broke and slugging it out. I still like UFC and MMA and watch most of the events, but I feel like UFC is past its prime.

[scorpion]

I've never had an injury that severe, but I'm sure the mental/psychological pain is just as bad as the physical pain. The agony of knowing you suddenly have a very long and painful road just to be able to walk again, and will almost assuredly never fight again must be overwhelming, especially to a professional athlete who lives and dies by his body. And it all hits you right away, out of the blue, when it wasn't even in your radar a few seconds before. Just a nightmare. It's a really terrible situation for everyone: Silva most of all, obviously. The UFC loses a star in the worst way possible. Weidman's win feels somewhat illegitimate for the second time, weakening him as champion. GSP stays retired. Casual fans are turned off from the sport by such a brutal injury to a big star. The media has another football to kick around running stories about the brutality of MMA, etc...

[Eastside]

(12-29-2013 01:18 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

Will UFC become more popular than boxing? Or has it already done so?

Just curious.

I am not a big fan of MMA myself. But I am interested in how it does in the future.

I think as far as ppv ratings go, the UFC has passed or is in the process of passing boxing. I have to double check on that though. MMA is also a growing sport, while at this point you can't really say the same about boxing. However, top shelf boxers still make way more than top shelf MMA fighters do because of the way each sport shares its profits with the athletes.

[Enigma]

(12-29-2013 01:03 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

Also - is it a career ender? Surely he can come back okay within a year? Alot of footballers do.

Or do you think the psychological damage will affect him in future as well?

I don't think so. A broken bone will nag you for years. You can do many things but it will still be sensitive to direct blows and higher levels of weight or force. Granted, Silva has access to top quality medical care but at his age and as a striker in such a physical sport, I don't see it.

[Katatonic]

(12-29-2013 01:18 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

Will UFC become more popular than boxing? Or has it already done so?

Just curious.

I am not a big fan of MMA myself. But I am interested in how it does in the future.

No. It may pass it up one day, but all in all boxing still brings in the bigger numbers. Jon Jones was/is even talking about switching to boxing. With some of the biggest money makers like Lesnar(by far the biggest), GSP, and Silva now gone from the UFC, we may see UFC numbers dip a little next year even with more exposure and higher quality events happening.

[dog24]

(12-29-2013 01:16 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

I always hope those leg breaks are not as painful as they look.

Silly I know. But I always hope they are no more painful than an ordinary leg break.

When i broke mine it kinda looked like that although i didnt break the tibia, i fell from 2 stories high and landed on my foot.
Surprisingly it only hurt a bit for a few seconds then nothing. I even refused to get pain killers at the hospital. It felt like when you crack your knuckles only harder.
A guy told me he once saw a guy brake both fib and tibia in a soccer match the dude stayed calmed the all time, it appears its not as bad as it looks.

Also a couple of guys on my jiujitsu class had surgery on the knees, some never get past it psychologically.
I read somewhere that the other guy who had the exact same injury on the UFC fought again in exactly one year. Going from making 5 million a fight to nothing is strong motivation.

[Wutang]

Reminded me of this:

http://www.keepbusy.net/play.php?id=brok...ck-attempt

[reaper23]

reports were that silva was screaming the whole time back stage while waiting to go to the hospital.

i doubt it felt like having a knuckle cracked.

i had my ulna broken into two pieces by a muay thai kick while sparring once. sounded like a stick breaking, no pain at first..but then worst pain i've ever felt continued until the surgery and the bone was set.

after that, no problem

[Tex Pro]

I doubt Anderson is ever going to fight again. The break was brutal.

[WanderingSoul]

At his age, i think he will hang it up from MMA. Could he ever confidently throw a kick again?

I think this may make the Jones Jr fight more possible though. Seems he always wanted that fight, and with his MMA career probably finished, I could see him pushing for the RJJ match in a year or two once he's recovered.

[reaper23]

GSP will NEVER be back after this

[cardguy]

Lifting your knee to defend against a kick is a really clever idea. Is that a common MMA defense? It is ingenious because I imagine the knee part of the leg is stronger than the shin.

[Roadrunner]

(12-29-2013 11:23 AM)cardguy Wrote:  

Lifting your knee to defend against a kick is a really clever idea. Is that a common MMA defense? It is ingenious because I imagine the knee part of the leg is stronger than the shin.

Common Muay thai kick defense. This was a freak accident but usually it just hurts the attacker a little bit.

[Hencredible Casanova]

Looks like Silva is doing okay so far.

Quote:

Following Saturday evening's UFC 168 main event, former champion Anderson Silva was taken to a local Las Vegas hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a broken left leg. The successful surgery, performed by Dr. Steven Sanders, the UFC's orthopedic surgeon, inserted an intramedullary rod into Anderson's left tibia. The broken fibula was stabilized and does not require a separate surgery. Anderson will remain in the hospital for a short while, but no additional surgery is scheduled at this time. Recovery time for such injuries may vary between three and six months.

Anderson is deeply touched by the outpouring of support from his fans and the entire MMA community. There has been no immediate decision about his future, and he would kindly ask for privacy at this time as he deals with his injury and prepares to return home to recover.

[rudebwoy]

He is done, this is a contact sport and will be tough for him to compete again.

I wish him the best!

[ChocolateCockOfZeus]

I think age was catching up to Silva, as great as he is. It happens to all these guys. Age and years of fighting & training takes its toll. That's why Randy Couture's last run was so remarkable. Imagine how many times Silva has thrown that same kick and gotten it checked over the years; that leg probably just couldn't hold up anymore. He didn't look as confident and energetic on the walk out either.

The big PPV guys are gone, but there will always be another one coming up. It's always been like that. Jon Jones is the biggest right now, but I think with good PR Johnny Hendricks has the potential to be as big as Chuck Liddell. Then there are rumors that Lesnar might make a comeback, possibly after his WWE contract is up.

Wonder what's going through Dana White's head right now.

[dog24]

(12-29-2013 02:26 PM)ChocolateCockOfZeus Wrote:  

Imagine how many times Silva has thrown that same kick and gotten it checked over the years; that leg probably just couldn't hold up anymore.

Kicking over and over actually makes the bone denser, its usually guys new to fighting without pads who get this injury. Maybe his nutrition was way off?

Also reaper honestly i felt more pain checking leg kicks without pads than when i actually broke it (pitty pat newbie here).

A friend of mine fell during soccer he tried to put his hand to prevent the fall and all of his weight crushed his forearm he said he didnt feel pain whatsoever.

[reaper23]

@dog24 - i've had several fights, gotten punched in the face in a cage and battled all sorts of different ways and the part i hated the most? the part that i dreaded?

checking leg kicks with no pads