UFC 163: Robert Drysdale Forced Out of Fight Due to Staph Infection

Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Robert Drysdale will have to wait a little bit longer to make his UFC debut.

Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review Journal is reporting the Las Vegas native has been forced out of his scheduled upcoming bout at UFC 163 due to a staph infection. He was originally scheduled to meet Ednaldo Oliveira in a light heavyweight contest.

It is unclear at this time whether the promotion will look for a substitute for Oliveira or if he will be removed from the card entirely. It’s another bite from the injury bug which has already transformed much of the UFC 163 main card.

Drysdale is one of the most accomplished grapplers in the world and is a former ADCC champion. He's also won numerous medals in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships over the years. Aside from his personal accomplishments in BJJ, Drysdale is also a coach for many of Las Vegas' top MMA fighters and has worked with some standout fighters in the past.

He also appeared on The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 as a coach for Team Mir.

Thus far in his MMA career, Drysdale has amassed a 6-0 professional record, with all wins coming via first round submission. His last three fights were competed under the Legacy FC banner, with his last fight being earlier this year in April.

For the 32-year-old Drysdale, time is precious. He's still very new to the fight game despite having a wealth of knowledge in BJJ. Sitting on the sidelines isn't going to further his career, but he should take some measure of confidence in knowing that past grappling champions such as himself have done very well in their MMA careers despite the late start.