UFC President Dana White has announced that following a training session welterweight champion Matt Serra suffered a herniated disc in his lower back and has been forced to withdraw from his planned title defense which was scheduled to take place on December 29th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“This is devastating news because they were so looking forward to fighting each other, said White.

“Unfortunately injuries happen and I look forward to Serra recovering quickly, and to getting him back into the Octagon.”

Serra had just finished a Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling training session and was demonstrating a move when he became gripped with pain and fell to the floor. Serra went to the hospital and underwent an MRI, which revealed the herniated discs in his lower back.

“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” said Serra. “I’ve never had a back injury before; I could hardly get off of the MRI table. There is no way I can train through this, and I’m devastated, especially because this was such an important fight. I was looking forward to fighting Matt Hughes. All my training was going phenomenally until Monday – All I can do now is to get better and to fight again as soon as possible.”

The UFC welterweight belt has not been contested since early April when Matt “The Terror” Serra captured the title upsetting heavily favored Georges St. Pierre at UFC 69. A title defense of the belt has since been on hold while Matt Serra & Matt Hughes coach the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and this delay will only further serve to back up the growing clog of contenders queuing in line for a title shot.

The UFC has not yet announced if Matt Hughes will remain on the card, so the big question now is will they put Hughes in storage until Serra recovers or will they risk having him face someone else.

Thanks to UFC.com