[Source: Reuters]

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley announced that he will have hip surgery next month.

The 29-year-old sustained a torn labrum 10 weeks ago but battled through it, only to lose his 135-pound title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last Saturday in Las Vegas.

O’Malley’s return to the Octagon could take anywhere from six months to a year.

O’Malley (18-2) was out-struck 214 to 49 in the unanimous decision loss to Dvalishvili (18-4) but he insisted the hip injury was not to blame.

It was the first loss for O’Malley since UFC 252, a TKO defeat to Marlon Vera on Aug. 15, 2020.