UFC contender Raphael Assuncao breaks ankle during training, expected to be out 8-10 weeks

It hasn't been a good day for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight division.

Not long after it was revealed that former 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz had suffered yet another ACL injury -- this time on the other knee -- which will sideline him indefinitely, Raphael Assuncao revealed via Twitter that he will be benched for a few months after he broke his ankle during training.

I am devastated 2 inform that my title shot hopes will be even further delayed due 2 broken ankle suffered in training I am sorry once again

— Raphael Assuncao (@RaphaAssuncao) December 22, 2014

Bummer.

Assuncao is expected to miss 8-10 weeks which means he won't be seeing the inside of the Octagon until later in 2015. On the positive side, FOX Sports got word from Brazilian's camp that he will not require surgery.

It couldn't have happened at a worse time for Raphael, as he was inching himself closer to a title shot thanks to his impressive seven-fight win streak.

The injuries to Cruz and Assuncao clear up the title picture in the highly-competitive bantamweight division, as Renan Barao is now the clear front runner to take on division kingpin T.J. Dillashaw in a much-anticipated rematch that was originally set to go down at UFC 177 earlier this year.

Barao was forced out of that title fight after a tough weight cut caused him to faint in his hotel room, forcing UFC officials to ultimately cancel the bout.

But after hitting his mark without issue and subsequently defeating Mitch Gagnon in the co-main event of this past weekend's (Sat. Dec. 20, 2014) UFC Fight Night 58 event in Sao Paulo, Brazil (video), the scrappy Brazilian is sitting pretty in the title hunt.