Raphael
Assuncao will not square off against Raoni
Barcelos at UFC Fight Night 186 as originally planned.
The Brazilian veteran revealed via Twitter that a positive COVID-19
test has forced him to withdraw from the bantamweight bout. UFC
Fight Night 186 takes place on Feb. 27 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas
and is headlined by a heavyweight clash between Curtis
Blaydes and Derrick
Lewis. It is currently unclear if Barcelos will receive a
replacement opponent.
2021 started a bit bumpy for sure… a car
accident with nagging elbow/arm injury and COVID unfortunately has
forced me out of my Feb 27 fight against countryman Barcelos .
PT is underway intensively, be back sooner than later.
Thx all— Raphael Assuncao (@RaphaAssuncao)
February 3, 2021
Assuncao was hoping to halt a three-bout
skid against Barcelos. Most recently, the 38-year-old Ascension MMA
product suffered a second-round knockout loss to Cody
Garbrandt at UFC 250 this past June.
Barcelos, meanwhile, has emerged as a person of interest at
bantamweight thanks to victories in his first five UFC appearances.
In his last outing, the 33-year-old Brazilian outpointed Khalid Taha
at UFC on ESPN 17 in November.