Dana White: Anderson Silva could return before the end of the year

LAS VEGAS -- Just two months after suffering what most assumed was a career-ending leg injury, Anderson Silva is already back working out in the gym.

According to UFC president Dana White, if everything goes well, there's even a chance that the former longtime UFC middleweight champion could even return to action before the year is out.

White spoke with Silva's physician Saturday night at Mandalay Bay and was encouraged by the doctor's progress report.

"The doctor came and showed me his bone tonight, and he said this is actually crazy, look at all the bone (healing) he's had in eight weeks," White said. "Sometime you don't even have that over a couple years. It's pretty crazy."

Pressed for the earliest scenario in which Silva, who has a titanium rod in his leg, could return, White said. "He could fight by the end of the year."

The emphasis there, of course, is on "could," not "will." Silva's only still at the beginning of the process of rehabbing his injury, which occurred against Chris Weidman at UFC 168. Any number of things could impede his progress between now and then.

"We'll see what happens," White said. "Anything could happen. He could hurt it in training, anything is possible. Or start training again and not feel the same. Anything can happen."

White indicated that he and Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta will meet with Silva in his Los Angeles-area home on Wednesday.