Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is on the road to recovery after having surgery on Friday.
According to UFC president Dana White, Lesnar underwent the surgery that will hopefully help the ailing heavyweight after he was stricken with a second bout of diverticulitis that forced him out of his scheduled bout with Junior Dos Santos at UFC 131.
“Brock Lesnar actually had surgery yesterday,” White revealed. “They removed about 12 inches of his colon, repaired it, he feels great. He said he’s a little sore, but the operation was a huge success.”
Lesnar was up in the air as recently as two weeks ago about whether he would have surgery or opt to allow antibiotics to try and treat the disease. Obviously the news on Saturday confirms that Lesnar went for the surgery.
As far as a timeline for his return, White was hopeful that Lesnar would be back during the first part of 2012.
“We’re hoping he can be back by the first of the year,” White stated.
Lesnar hasn’t competed since October 2010 when he lost the UFC heavyweight title to current champion Cain Velasquez.
It was during his coaching stint on the 13th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” that Lesnar started dealing with symptoms from a second bout of diverticulitis. Once he realized he was dealing with a full blown case of the ailment again, Lesnar was forced out of his fight with Dos Santos and back on the sidelines.
