By Kristel Satumbaga
SEA Games champion Mark Striegl announced Saturday he tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), a development that delayed his debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Striegl made the announcement on his Facebook account while thanking the organization for the support.
“You can never be too careful these days. Thankfully, my symptoms are mild and I’m looking forward to bouncing back,” he said in a statement.
Striegl was scheduled to fight fellow newcomer Timur Valiev in the undercard of UFC Fight Night pitting Pedro Munhoz vs Frankie Edgar on Sunday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, but reports came out on Friday that he was being replaced at the last minute with no further details.
Striegl, who won the gold medal in sambo at the 2019 SEA Games, holds a professional MMA record of 18-2.
