Let's forget for a second that Chris Weidman is fighting Anderson Silva, the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter of all time, in the headliner of the UFC 162 pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He's also coming off a one-year layoff, as well as surgery to repair a bum shoulder.
Now, to make matters worse, Weidman will be flying blind on fight night, as the man who has cornered him since the beginning of his career, Matt Serra, has been forced to stay behind due to lingering health issues, as well as the birth of his daughter.
Coach Ray Longo talks to MMA Fighting:
"I'll miss Matt, he kind of rounds me out as a coach. It was a hard decision for him to have to make, but sometimes family has to come first. Knock on wood, everything's great. The guy is healthy. He's looking good. We've brought in great sparring partners and he's ready to go. I think the cards are aligning in the right spots."
Filling in for "The Terror" will be Weidman's father, Charlie.
Serra was suffering from a condition known as thoracic outlet syndrome and had to have a rib removed to make room for his blood vessels. Currently on blood thinners after doctors found clots in his arm and lung, he's found the road to recovery to be both slow and bumpy.
He unofficially retired earlier this year.
The good news for Weidman is that with or without Serra, he will enter the Octagon supremely confident. The "All American" expects to exploit Silva's wrestling deficiencies while avoiding the dangers of the stand up. If he finds himself in hot water; however, he won't have Serra to turn to in between rounds.
Will it make a difference?