UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw has undergone successful surgery for a left elbow injury he suffered during his first successful title defense against Joe Soto at UFC 177 in August.
“Swollen from elbowing Soto,” Dillashaw explained in a text message to MMAfighting.com. “Drained it multiple times but just kept coming back.”
Luckily the injury shouldn’t keep Dillashaw out of action for too long, with his arm set to be in a splint for the next three weeks with his total time out expected to be around five weeks.
Next up for Dillashaw after he’s injury-free will be a title defense against the man who vacated the belt last year after a long injury absence, Dominick Cruz which presumably will now take place in 2015.
Cruz finally return to action last month with a stunning first round TKO victory against Takeya Mizugaki and as a result was immediately handed the next title shot by the UFC.
It should be a fascinating match-up, particularly as Dillashaw even went as far as to credit Cruz after winning the title in a fight with Renan Barao, claiming that his strategy had been to use “Dominick Cruz footwork” to beat the champ.
Adding extra spice to the occasion, following his comeback victory Cruz took a potshot at Dillashaw’s team, branding them, ‘Apha Fails’.
