After battling Parsonage-Turner syndrome, Todd Duffee anticipates UFC return by end of 2014

One minute you're setting a UFC record for fastest knockout, the next minute you're fighting "Afrozilla" in Japan.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Todd Duffee has what can only be described as a rollercoaster ride in his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career. After getting cut by Dana White for attitude problems in late 2010, the Indianian eventually fought his way back into the big leagues.

And his return was a smashing success -- literally -- as he pounded out Philip De Fries in just over two minutes at UFC 155.

Now, Duffee is fighting a new battle, against rare but painful disorder called Parsonage-Turner syndrome -- also known as idiopathic brachial plexopathy or neuralgic amyotrophy -- one severe enough to sideline him for up to two years.

From his appearance on Sherdog Radio Network’s "Beatdown" show:

"It felt like somebody stabbing me in my back. I kind of freaked out. Should I go to the ER? What do I do? It was that kind of pain. I just couldn't move. I could kind of lift my shoulder to a certain extent, but I couldn't use my hand fully. I could like pulse it, but I couldn't close it. I couldn't pick up anything with it or anything like that. It was scary. It's one of those moments where your whole perspective on life changes and you have to start kind of looking at things differently. Already I've had a very fast recovery. I'm very advanced. I've talked to all the therapists I've worked with and the doctors and they're all very confident that I can come back inside a year."

Ouch.

The good news is, Duffee is just 27 years old, so time is on his side. He's already 10 fights into his combat sports career with international experience; however, the UFC heavyweight division has been rapidly evolving over the past 24 months as new stars continue to emerge.

Can Duffee still be one of them?