Shogun, Mir, Struve and Minotauro were some of the athletes who came back after serious injuries. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS Production (UFC/Disclosure)
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Next Saturday (31), the former middleweight champion Anderson Silva will do what many considered unthinkable about a year and a month ago: return to the sport after suffering a serious fracture in his left leg during the rematch against Chris Weidman. Spider, however, is not the only name that went against expectations and turned things around, returning to MMA after experiencing drama related to injuries and physical problems.
Therefore, even as an inspiration for Anderson on his return to Ultimate, faced with Nick Diaz at UFC 183, the SUPER FIGHTS remember some examples of overcoming. Remember stories like that of the Brazilian Rodrigo Minotauro, who has already suffered two serious injuries in the octagon and returned after both, or the former champion Frank mir, who lost his title after suffering a motorcycle accident, but came back and fought again for the belt.
Gustavo Coelho: the closest reference
The first athlete on our list is Gustavo Coelho from Minas Gerais. The reason why featherweight leads the list is precisely the similarity of his injury to that suffered by Anderson Silva. Nine months before the incident with Spider, in March 2013, Gustavo also fractured his left leg after having a low kick blocked in his fight against Magno Alexandre, at the WOCS 24 national event. The strong scene of Coelho's injury is even more impressive than Anderson's, because the CM System athlete still tried to support himself on the ground with his fractured leg.
For a year and two months, the athlete remained away from the ring and went through an intense recovery process. Gustavo's return took place at home and in style. Fighting in Belo Horizonte (MG), at the Brasil Fight 8 event, he beat Leandro “Sete Bala” by technical knockout in the second round, to the delight of the fans present at the Labareda headquarters of Clube Atlético Mineiro, the stage for the fight night.
Minotaur: drama suddenly unfolds in less than 18 months
Personal friend and mentor Anderson Silva, Rodrigo Minotauro He also has a story to tell Spider when it comes to suffering an injury in the octagon, turning it around and fighting again. In an interval of just a year and a half, Minotauro suffered two serious injuries after being finished, respectively, by Frank mir e Fabricio Werdum.
In December 2011, in Canada, Minotauro had his rematch against Frank mir, for whom he had already been knocked out three years earlier. The Brazilian even had a good moment in the fight, but ended up caught in a kimura, which earned the North American the “Submission of the Year” award. After trying to get out of position and taking too long to hit, Rodrigo ended up with a fracture in his right humerus (the bone that connects the arm to the shoulder).
After undergoing surgery, in which he placed 16 pins in the affected region, Minotauro returned to the octagon against Dave Herman at UFC Rio 3, ten months after the injury. The return of the legendary heavyweight was remarkable, with a submission over the North American, who had provoked him and criticized jiu-jitsu throughout the preparation for the fight.
Minotauro was submitted by Werdum in the TUF Brazil 2 Final. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
In July 2013, however, Minotauro would once again experience drama inside the octagon. In the TUF Brasil 2 coaches' duel against Fabricio Werdum, at an event held in Fortaleza (CE), the former champion of the extinct PRIDE was once again submitted, this time with an armbar, which ended up tearing the ligament in his elbow. Result: Rodrigo again had to undergo surgery and stay away from the octagon for a long time.
On his return after his second injury, however, Minotauro was not so lucky and suffered a tough knockout defeat to the “chubby” Roy Nelson at UFC Abu Dhabi, in April 2014. This was, in fact, the most recent fight for the Nogueira brother, who has already announced that he will end his career in 2015.
Shogun: knee injuries take their toll after title
Shogun (photo) won the belt, but injured his knee. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Between 2009 and 2010, Mauritius Shogun e Lyoto Machida they staged one of the most intense rivalries in Ultimate and placed Brazil at the top of the light heavyweight category, with two fights in a row for the belt in the 93 kg division. After being defeated by Lyoto in a controversial decision by the judges in the first duel, Shogun had another chance at a rematch and didn't waste the opportunity, knocking out his opponent to win the title. What came to light after the victory, however, was that the Curitiba native struggled with a serious knee injury and would need surgery immediately after the match.
Having had problems since 2007, when he ruptured the ligament, Shogun had already undergone two operations, but felt the joint again and worsened the injury at the time of the rematch against Lyoto. After knocking out his rival, it was announced that the Brazilian would undergo his third surgery and delay his first title defense.
The time out of activity took its toll and Shogun returned only ten months after the triumph over Lyoto. The opponent in the return was the North American Jon Jones, who gave the Brazilian no chance and knocked him out to become the new light heavyweight champion, a position he still holds today.
Frank Mir: accident that cost him belt
In addition to the episode with Minotauro, F. Mir (photo) has also been on the other side of the coin. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
In 2004, Frank mir He was the UFC heavyweight champion and reigned supreme in the 120 kg category. However, in September of that year, the North American suffered a serious motorcycle accident after being hit by a car. Mir fractured his femur in two places in the fall and tore all the ligaments in his knee. Major reconstruction surgery was necessary and Ultimate opted to create an interim heavyweight belt, won by Tim Sylvia.
The unification of titles was scheduled for August 2005, but Frank mir would not be able to act. For this reason, the North American was deposed as champion and saw his title fall into Tim Sylvia's lap. He was still out of action until February 2006, when he finally returned to the octagon against Brazilian Márcio Cruz. The result, however, could not be more surprising, negatively, and Mir ended up being knocked out by Cruz.
the trajectory of Frank mirHowever, he would still have great moments again. After three consecutive victories, the last of which over Rodrigo Minotauro, he won the interim heavyweight belt in 2008, which gave him the right to face Brock Lesnar in the main fight of the historic UFC 100 – when he ended up defeated by his rival, who he had beaten years before. After another sequence of three victories, this time in 2012, Mir returned to compete for the linear heavyweight title, but this time he stopped at the Brazilian Junior Gypsy.
Stefan Struve: giant heart
S. Struve (pictured) suffered from a leaking aortic valve and problems resulting from an enlarged heart. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
From a height of 2,13 m, the Dutchman Stefan struve, literally, has a giant heart. Diagnosed with a rare condition that causes his aortic valve to leak, due to an enlarged heart, the fighter showed the willpower to dedicate himself intensely to the treatment and fight again, even when all the prognoses pointed to the opposite.
In March 2013, Struve had already suffered a severe blow when he fractured his jaw in the defeat to Mark Hunt, but the Dutchman's situation became even worse when he retired from the sport due to heart problems months later. The evolution of the “Skyscraper”, as he is known, was very rapid and his return to the octagon was scheduled for July last year, at UFC 175.
Despite the great expectations for the heavyweight's return, caution given his recent history spoke louder and after he passed out in the event's locker room minutes before entering the Octagon, his fight with Matt Mitrione ended up being canceled at the last minute.
The traumatic incident, however, did not shake his willpower. Stefan struve who rescheduled his return for December 2014, in front of his compatriot alistair overeem. Despite his history of overcoming and coming back on top when he stepped into the octagon, Struve ended up defeated by technical knockout in the first round.
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