Multiple injuries have reportedly forced Luke Rockhold (16-4) to withdraw from his match against Chris Weidman (14-3), which was set to be the co-main event at UFC 230 next month.
Speaking
to ESPN's Ariel Helwani, the Middleweight fighter rattled off a list of injuries he's currently dealing with, including a sprained right knee, which he suffered on Thursday, and a recently broken nose. His surgically repaired left shin also recently got infected again, forcing him to have a stem-cell graft inserted.
Rockhold is eyeing a return to the Octagon in late 2018 or early 2019 after what his doctors say will be a four-week recovery.
In the meantime, former middleweight champion Chris Weidman will remain on the card and instead fight Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, a former Strikeforce champion who was already scheduled to fight David Branch on the card. The UFC is currently searching for a potential short-notice opponent for Branch.
UFC 230, which takes place November 3, will be headlined by Daniel Cormier vs Derrick Lewis for the UFC heavyweight title.