UFC veteran Michael Bisping has undergone elbow surgery to correct an issue that forced him out of an upcoming event.

Bisping (27-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) was scheduled to fight Robert Whittaker in a middleweight bout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia, next month but withdrew from the contest less than six weeks before the event. Uriah Hall replaced him in the matchup.

“The Count” has made 24 octagon appearances since his UFC debut in June 2006 and has rarely pulled out of fights due to injury during that lengthy tenure.

Bisping seemingly had no option but to do so for UFC 193, because the elbow injury was significant enough to require surgery, which he underwent this week.

According to a post on his official <a href=" "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner did not mention a potential timeframe for which he could return to competition. However, Bisping shares mutual interest in a future matchup with former UFC champ Anderson Silva, who recently said he would like to face Bisping once his one-year suspension stemming from a positive January drug test is complete.

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