Mamed Khalidov opens up about mental struggles following spinal surgery

When Mamed Khalidov stepped into the KSW cage on December 6, 2014, he was clearly aware of the risk that it entailed.

The Chechen native and Polish national was the headlining act at KSW 29, an event that had already seen one main event fighter drop out with little notice. Khalidov, a superstar in his own right in Poland, felt a sharp, lingering pain in his neck, but decided to ignore it. 18,000 fans had already flooded the Kraków Arena to watch him compete. He was not about to disappoint them.

Khalidov stood opposite Bellator veteran Brett Cooper, who served as a late replacement for Polish legend Tomasz Drwal. It was a very different stylistic match-up for Khalidov on such short notice. He…