Robert Whittaker Out Until 2019 Due To Injury

In an interview with ESPN (Via MMA Fighting, UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker revealed that he had surgery to repair a broken hand and will be out until 2019. Here are highlights:

On the status of his hand: “It’s still only several weeks from surgery so I’m still working on it. I can’t even start a rehab process yet, it’s more of just letting it heal and letting it set properly first before I can even implement that. They put a plate and some screws (in it). People don’t know this but also I did ligament damage in my left hand but obviously the attention was drawn to the broken one…I definitely won’t be ready before next year. My hand rehab — both hands — I have to get to 100 percent with my hands before I can start rehab. The healing process has to be done before I can even start a rehab program and then I need strengthen my hand up to 100 percent. Then, when I’m a 100 percent, I’d like to get a little bit of training done. Realistically, I’m looking at like February of next year.”

On coaching the next season of The Ultimate Fighter: “This is a perfect time to do it because my training is kind of slow at the moment due to my injuries, so why not? I was honored to be given the opportunity, first and foremost. But to be able to coach where I started, it’s definitely a funny feeling, a little bit of symbolism there to finish up the TUF series where I kind of kicked everything off.”

On agreeing that his battles with Yoel Romero changed him: “I think all damage that you take inside the octagon is real and should be taking seriously but I’m not worried that it’ll have any effect on my performance. I haven’t even reached my peak yet, the peak of my potential. This hard fight, if anything, is going to mold me and shape me as to how I approach fights from now on. I think everyone has to have their mettle tested in a tough fight and that was one of them for me.”