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Robert Whittaker Out of UFC 234 Due To Hernia

February 9, 2019 | Posted by Joseph Lee

ESPN reports that UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has been forced out of his title fight with Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 tonight due to an abdominal hernia. The announcement was made hours before doors were set to open at the Rod Laver Arena. UFC President Dana White said that Whittaker had pain in his abdomen late last night and was hospitalized, where he was diagnosed with the hernia. He will have surgery later today.

The main event of the PPV will now be a non-title middleweight bout between Israel Adesanya (15-0) and Anderson Silva (34-8). The event previously sold out in minutes after tickets went on sale. This is the second time that Whittaker had to pull out of a title defense due to injury, as he also did so in February 2018. The UFC said the winner of the Silva-Adesanya fight will challenge for the middleweight belt.

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Robert Whittaker, UFC 234, Joseph Lee