Antonio Silva to undergo surgery to remove pituitary gland tumor

After undergoing shoulder surgery earlier in the year, Antonio Silva will once again go under the knife, this time to remove a pituitary gland tumour. Acromegaly is a disease that Silva has battled with in the past, and this is not the first time he has had this sort of surgery.

"I will have to do the surgery again after my next fight, and then I will be cleared to train again in four or six weeks," Silva told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. "I will have to do the surgery again since I can't take testosterone (replacement therapy)."

It appears that Silva's treatment required him to use testosterone replacement therapy, which he can no longer do because the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned the use of the substance several months ago. Silva, who was given a therapeutic use exemption to use TRT for the fight against Mark Hunt, showed an elevated level of testosterone.

"Some use it for ego, but (the TRT ban) is a problem for those who really need it," he said. "That was the first time I used it. I always fought without TRT and I will continue."

"Bigfoot" is targeting a fall return to the octagon, after he completes his suspension on September 7^th.

Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.