UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw underwent successful surgery on his left elbow Friday.
Dillashaw, who confirmed the news to MMAFighting.com, said he was suffering from bursitis, which, according to the National Library of Medicine, is the swelling and irritation of a bursa, a fluid-filled sac, that acts as a cushion between a muscles, tendons, and joints.
“Swollen from elbowing [Joe] Soto,” he wrote via text message. “Drained it multiple times but just kept coming back.”
Dillashaw, who characterized the surgery as “minor,” said he’ll be in a splint for three weeks. Recovery time is expected to be between three-to-five weeks total.
The 135-pound champion recently defeated Soto at UFC 177 in August. He is currently slated to fight Dominick Cruz in February or March 2015, and Friday’s schedule shouldn’t delay those plans.