Chris Weidman gives an update on when he might recover from his leg injury
Chris Weidman expects to start training once again in six to 12 months. The former UFC middleweight champion said it will take approximately eight weeks for him to walk without crutches.
Weidman suffered a horrific leg break at UFC 261. He tried landing a calf kick on his opponent, Uriah Hall, but the Jamaican checked the kick which shattered Weidman's leg. The 36-year-old was immediately taken to a hospital where he underwent a successful surgery, according to his wife.
Earlier today, Chris Weidman posted a video to his Instagram handle, where he provided an update on his injury:
"I'm gonna get through this. Think it's gonna be eight weeks to walk without crutches and stuff, and drive and all that. And then as far as training, it should be between six to 12 months. I'll be good to go," said Weidman.
Weidman also acknowledged the support he received from his fans and fellow fighters. He thanked Anderson Silva and Uriah Hall for their positive messages:
"I just want to let everybody know that I'm so thankful for all the support. I know Uriah Hall was super classy and upset that this happened to me. I know Anderson Silva came out and said some really nice things."
Chris Weidman will document his recovery process
In the same video posted on his Instagram handle, Chris Weidman said he'll document his recovery stages and keep all his fans in the loop. Detailing how his surgery went, Weidman said:
"Surgery was successful. They put a titanium rod to the tibia; through the knee, they go through the knee and take the rod in. They drill it through the tibia and make it straight and hard. My fibula is broken as well, but I guess when they put the tibia back together and my leg was straight, the fibula kind of matched back up to where it was broken."
Weidman later added that his fibula would heal on its own as long as he didn't exert pressure on it.
Chris Weidman won the UFC middleweight championship in 2013 by defeating Anderson Silva at UFC 168. He defended his belt three times - against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort.