The middleweight champion was scheduled to defend his title against challenger Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC 234 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, but MMA Fighting has confirmed that Whittaker has been forced to withdraw due to an injury. Per ESPN, Whittaker was diagnosed with a hernia.
This was to be Whittaker’s first official defense of the middleweight title after a scheduled championship bout opposite Yoel Romero at UFC 225 became a non-title affair when Romero missed weight. Whittaker went on to win that five-round bout by unanimous decision.