We haven't seen middleweight champion Michael Bisping since October 2015, and with this latest news, it sounds like it will be a little longer.
Bisping revealed on Thursday that he will need to undergo a minor knee surgery to repair his meniscus and will be out of action until at least May.
"I actually found out just recently I've got to have a knee surgery," Bisping said via Fight Network. "Nothing major, just a clean up. I've got a slightly torn meniscus, a couple other things going on in there so I've got to get that knee surgery taken care of. We scheduled that and I should be having that in the next couple of weeks.
"Get that taken care of and I'll probably be defending the belt around May, something like that I would guess."
Bisping last fought at UFC 204 when he took a unanimous decision over Dan Henderson in a five-round grinder to retain his 185-pound belt.
He won that belt with a shocking KO of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June, claiming the belt that took him over a decade to claim.
It's unclear who that next opponent could be when he returns, but Bisping and welterweight champion Tyron Woodley discussed a title vs. title fight earlier this month.
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