"You're gonna end up getting paralyzed” – Chris Weidman recounts the series of injuries he endured throughout his career
Chris Weidman recently recounted the series of injuries he has endured throughout his career, as well as the severity of some of those injuries.
The former UFC middleweight champion suffered his infamous broken leg during his bout against Uriah Hall, which resulted in a two-year layoff. During his appearance on DC & Friends, the 39-year-old revealed that he has actually dealt with a number of injuries dating back to his high school wrestling days, including a neck injury that initially appeared as though it would prevent him from ever competing again.
Weidman said:
"I kept having crazy stingers in my neck and we ended up having to go to the doctor because I was like fainting from the pain. They did the MRI and the X-rays and they said I should never wrestle again. Like, 'You're gonna end up getting paralyzed.' Well, that was in 2002...In college, I already had seven knee surgeries." [38:29 - 38:59]
Chris Weidman then brought up how he managed to deal with the long list of injuries that he sustained. He credited a positive mindset and mentioned that his no-quit attitude is what allowed him to battle through his injuries and continue to have a successful career, saying:
"If the physical trainer from Hofstra University was asked if I were to do anything after wrestling at Hofstra, he'd be like, 'Absolutely not.' So it's just I think a testament to just perseverance and...Just never giving up." [39:02 - 39:20]
It remains to be seen whether the former middleweight champion will return to the octagon again, as he lost a unanimous decision to Brad Tavares in his octagon return after his two-year layoff.
Check out the full episode below:
Chris Weidman documentary set to air on ESPN
Chris Weidman's leg injury, sustained in the opening moments of his bout against Uriah Hall at UFC 261, was one of the most gruesome injuries in the promotion's history.
MMA fans will now get a behind-the-scenes look into the lengthy rehab and the former UFC middleweight champion's inspiring return to the octagon. ESPN announced that the E60 documentary titled 'Chris Weidman: The Return' will air on the network this Sunday, December 17th, at 8:30 pm ET and will then be available to stream on ESPN+.
