UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez hasn't defended his title in a full calendar year and it looks like he's going to be out at least another six months to get back on track.

Originally scheduled to return to the Octagon at UFC  180 next month against Fabricio Werdum, Velasquez was forced out of the bout last week due to a sprained MCL and partially torn meniscus.

According to his head coach, Javier Vasquez, the surgery to repair the knee injuries was a successful one and the Mexican-American wrestler is targeting a March fight date, per MMA Fighting.

"It depends on the UFC," said Mendez. "Whatever decision they make is what's going to happen, provided he's healed. 

"I assume he'll be good to go for full-time training by December. He'll have all of November and part of October off. I don't see him being out that long at all."

Mendez indicated that the plan is to get Velasquez back in the cage by March, with MMA Fighting noting that UFC 184 will likely take place in Los Angeles on February 28.

Velasquez last fought Junior dos Santos at UFC 166 in October last year, brutalizing his Brazilian adversary before scoring a TKO finish with just two minutes to go in the fifth and final round.

The former Arizona State Sun Devil has only fought two different opponents since his November 2011 loss to JDS, but steamrolled "Cigano" and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in his four contests since then.

In Velasquez's absence, Werdum will fight PRIDE and K-1 veteran Mark Hunt for the interim UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 180 on November 15. The pay-per-view event takes place in Mexico City.