Injuries to middleweight champion Anderson Silva and welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre could alter UFC’s plans for early-2010. Both fighters may be sidelined longer than expected.

Silva’s title defense against Vitor Belfort that was scheduled for UFC 108 is in doubt since Silva continues to recover from recent elbow surgery.

Geroges St. Pierre, who’s been out of action since a July, was expected to headline a February UFC card, likely UFC 109 on February 6, but may be unable to return to the UFC until March. The Silva-Belfort matchup may be the UFC 109 main event. An opponent has not yet been determined for St. Pierre’s next fight, but it appears that the winner of a UFC 105 matchup between Mike Swick and Dan Hardy is the likely front-runner.

In a side note, Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin are expected to be recovered from their recent bouts of the flu to headline UFC 108 on January 2.