Does back surgery spell relief or early retirement?

Tim Sylvia will soon return to the octagon for the first time in seven months. In that time he has undergone back surgery which fused together two of his spinal discs. He is said to have fully recovered, but it remains to be seen what effects this may have had on his mobility and strength. Should a fighter retire when they suffer a spinal injury, or are some fighters able to recover and continue to compete?

Other fighters have come back from similar injuries. Nate Quarry was out of action for close to two years with spinal problems. His life-threatening surgery was a success and he made his triumphant comeback last month, knocking out Pete Sell in the third round. Not to mention that he isn’t in constant pain anymore. The ability for these guys to come back often depends on the severity of the injury and the individual determination of the fighter.