Chris Weidman's knee injury forces postponement of UFC 173 main event

Chris Weidman will have to wait to defend his title. (Josh Hedges Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has a knee injury that will impel the UFC to postpone his May 24 main event title bout against Lyoto Machida, reports the AP.

The fight which was supposed to take place at the MGM Grand Garden will be pushed back six weeks and will headline UFC 175 on July 5 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Weidman, who won the title when he beat champion Anderson Silva in the second round last July, reportedly needs minor surgery.

The fight with Machida is the second time Weidman will defended his title. His first defense of the belt came against Silva five months after their first fight. Weidman won by snapping Silva's leg with a kick in the second round.

Machida(21-4)has won his last two fights against Mark Munoz and Gegard Mousasi.

SI: Belfort gives up title shot after Nevada bans TRT