Michael Bisping Apologizes for Withdrawal Following Recurrance of Detached Retina Injury

It’s been nearly four years since UFC middleweight Michael Bisping has fought on his home turf in Manchester, England, and it’s going to be a while longer.

Bisping was scheduled to fight Mark Munoz in the UFC Fight Night 30 main event on Oct. 26 at Phones 4u Arena in Manchester, but those plans unraveled on Friday when he had to withdraw from the bout due to an eye injury.

Munoz will remain in the headliner on Fox Sports 2, but will now welcome former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida to the 185-pound class. UFC officials announced the change.

While few details of Bisping’s injury were revealed on Friday, The Telegraph on Saturday reported that the British fighter could be out for up to six months.

Telegraph reporter Gareth Davies reported that the injury is a recurrence of the detached retina that Bisping suffered in his April bout with Alan Belcher, which he ironically won by technical decision after Belcher couldn’t continue due to Bisping accidentally poking him in the eye.

“Words cannot describe how sad I am having to withdraw from my fight,” Bisping wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “My sincere apologies to evry1 who bought tickets. I will be back soon.”