Tyron Woodley is going under the knife.
The UFC welterweight champion told ESPN that he will have surgery on his right hand in two weeks and, according to his doctor, will be out between eight and 12 weeks.
“I dislocated my thumb in the [Darren Till] fight and by doing that I tore three ligaments,” Woodley said. “They are doing a shoestring surgery to provide more stability for my hand and minimize the potential arthritis.”
Woodley said the surgery is scheduled for mid-October. He injured his hand in the first round of his victory over Till at UFC 228 earlier this month, a fight Woodley won via second-round submission.
The UFC had considered booking Woodley vs. Colby Covington for the 170-pound title at UFC 230 on Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden, but those plans have now been scrapped due to Woodley’s upcoming surgery. The promotion has yet to finalize a main event for its return to New York City.