Matt Brown tests positive for COVID, out of UFC Vegas 44 bout with Bryan Barberena

If you were looking forward to Matt Brown’s Octagon return at UFC Vegas 44 next weekend, this bit of news may disappoint you. On Tuesday, “The Immortal” revealed he tested positive for COVID-19, which subsequently removed him from his scheduled bout against Bryan Barberena.

“Shitty day today I tested positive for covid so my fight next weekend is off,” Brown wrote on Twitter.

The fight would’ve been Brown’s 28th in the UFC. He was looking to begin a streak after his huge second-round KO win over Dhiego Lima in June, which earned him $50K for Performance of the Night.

Barberena, on the other hand, is coming off a majority decision loss to Jason Witt in July in a bout that earned both men a Fight of the Night bonus.

The UFC has yet to announce whether or not this match-up will be rescheduled.

UFC Vegas 44 will be headlined by a bantamweight showdown between Rob Font and former longtime featherweight champion José Aldo.