Now recuperating following surgery for a hernia that forced him out of UFC 234, middleweight champ Robert Whittaker has released a video statement from hospital.
UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is on the mend following surgery for a hernia Saturday (Sunday in Melbourne, Australia). The revelation that Whittaker was suffering from the injury forced him off UFC 234, in turn leaving Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya as the main event. More importantly, the condition required emergency surgery, a scary situation given what could have happened if Whittaker had been cleared to fight.
After coming out of surgery, Whittaker released a video statement via Instagram, which you can see below.
“Hey guys! Still kicking. I’m sorry to all my friends, fans and family for not being able to get in there Sunday,” Whittaker wrote in the accompanying written statement. “Apparently if you get emergency surgeries you can’t be cleared to fight. Thanks for the overwhelming support from all my fans I am so blessed to know you guys have my back.”
He went on to thank the UFC and promotion president Dana White for their support. “I’ll be back better than ever,” he promised in the end. Though no timetable is set, it’s likely that Kelvin Gastelum will remain his next opponent.
