8 Ways Fighter's Bodies Changed Forever Because Of MMA
5. Anderson Silva's Snaps His Leg Trying To Recapture His Title
Newer MMA fans may not be fully aware of just how terrifyingly dominant Anderson Silva was during his unprecedented 2457 day reign as UFC Middleweight Champion.
The Spider's diversity in his striking arsenal was unlike anything at the highest levels of the sport, with contender's being dispatched in often spectacularly brutal fashion on a biannual basis.
So, when Chris Weidman used the constant threat of the takedown combined with unrelenting pressure and solid boxing to become the first man to defeat the Brazilian in the UFC, fans clamoured for the pair to rematch.
And they would...
This time though, Weidman would account for the lower body damage he had sustained in the pair's first encounter and worked on effectively disabling Silva's low kicks. In the second round, one of Anderson's trademark chopping kicks was blocked by the American causing an instant break and forcing the ref to call the fight off.
While the UFC legend would eventually recover from the gruesome injury, and even returned to the ring, he has yet to show the same brilliance that earned him his fearsome reputation, with the injury likely having a lot to do with that.