UFC: Luke Jumeau forced to withdraw from Fight Night Adelaide with injury

Luke Jumeau, left, broke his hand in his February win over Japan's Daichi Abe. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi UFC star Luke Jumeau will have to wait until the new year to make his return to the octagon.

After injuring his hand during a bout in February, the Kiwi welterweight signed on to fight American Geoff Neal as part of the UFC Fight Night in Adelaide on December 2.

However, Jumeau has been forced to take his name off the card, with the doctor deeming him unfit to fight. Neal will also miss the event, reportedly booking a bout in Brooklyn in January instead.

Understandably disappointed in the decision, Jumeau found some consolation in the fact that being unable to fight now meant he should be ready to go in early 2019.

"I know everyone was looking forward to this fight, so was I," Jumeau said on Facebook.

"Sorry to my opponent, (it) would have been a nice way to end the year but let's make it happen next year."

There will be another chance for the 30-year-old to fight close to home, with the UFC expected to return to Australia in February 2019 where middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will defend his title against American Kelvin Gastelum. The exact date and venue is yet to be released.

While Jumeau, nicknamed 'the Jedi', will no longer be on the Adelaide card, there will still be some Kiwis in action with heavyweight Mark Hunt making his final appearance in the UFC, and flyweight Kai Kara-France making his UFC debut.

Jumeau holds a 13-4-0 professional MMA record, with a 2-1 record in the UFC. All three of his bouts with the promotion have been decided by the judges' scorecards.