Francisco Rivera needs surgery on his eye. | Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com
The bad news for UFC bantamweight Francisco Rivera continues.
“I have a crack in my retina and a bruise in my eye -- need to get laser eye surgery to stop it from spreading,” Rivera told Sherdog.com via text message.
That unfortunate news comes just hours after both Rivera and Faber expressed interest in a rematch at UFC 182 during their respective appearances Wednesday on the Sherdog Radio Network’s Beatdown show.
Faber accidentally poked Rivera in the eye during the second round of their 135-pound scrap at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas this past Saturday. That foul enabled “The California Kid” to secure a tapout via bulldog choke 1:34 into the second stanza. Jason House, Rivera’s manager, plans to file an appeal with the Nevada Athletic Commission in hopes of having the result changed to a no contest.
Rivera said that his doctor has informed the UFC of the injury and is waiting to schedule a date for the procedure. Exactly when he will be cleared to resume training activities is unclear.