John Salter grabs Jason MacDonald in their middleweight bout at UFC 113.

BY JAMES BRYDON
sportsnet.ca

MONTREAL -- Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald’s return to the Octagon didn’t last long and ended in disappointment when a nasty leg injury in the first round left him unable to continue his fight Saturday night in Montreal.

In the first fight of the undercard at UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun at the Bell Centre, MacDonald had his ankle buckle under him as he dropped to guard and attempted a guillotine of John Salter. His opponent was awarded a TKO victory due to injury at 2:42 of the first frame.

MacDonald suffered a broken lower leg (tibia and fibula) and the ankle was dislocated as well. He was put under to reset it and will undergo surgery Sunday to insert a plate and some screws.

MacDonald had not fought in the UFC since a first-round TKO defeat to Nate Quarry in Montreal a year ago. It was his second straight loss in the Octagon and he was subsequently released by the organization.

MacDonald went 3-1 in Canadian promotions since, and earned a trip back to the UFC when Montreal’s David Loiseau, a late injury replacement, was unable to get his fight licence approved by the Quebec Athletic Commission in time.