A UFC fighter is out of this weekend’s event in Las Vegas after one of his cornermen tested positive for the coronavirus.
Matt Frevola, who was scheduled to fight Frank Camacho on the card, was removed from the event after it was revealed that his cornerman Billy Quarantillo, who is also a UFC fighter, tested positive for COVD-19 twice this week, Frevola revealed in an instagram post Thursday morning.
Camacho will now fight newly signed Justin Jaynes (15-4) instead, manager Jason House said. This will be Jayne’s UFC debut. House manages Camacho and Jaynes.
« We did everything possible to make this fight happen, » Frevola wrote. « They tested me twice and both results came back negative. I also provided proof of my positive antibodies test from April 30th, but the UFC did not want any liability or to risk it. Being that there is a lack of knowledge on the incubation period and still so many unknowns regarding COVID-19, they decided to pull me (because) of the positive test result from my teammate and brother, Billy (Quarantillo).
« He’s been a huge help and source of support throughout camp and I have no hard feelings. He is 100% healthy at the moment and feels fine, so he must be asymptomatic. This is a crazy situation and everything happens for a reason. I am on weight and prepared to the fullest. I was really excited for this fight with Frank and told him if they find him a new opponent for Saturday I will be rooting for him. If not, I’m willing to rebook this fight ASAP or whenever he wants. »
Quarantillo, who is 2-0 in the UFC, most recently fought for the organization on May 30.
Frevola is the first fighter to be removed from a UFC card due to a cornerman testing positive. One of Ian Heinisch’s cornermen tested positive two weeks before Heinisch’s fight against Gerald Meerschaert, however, the UFC quickly re-tested the teammate, whose identity was not made public, and it was determined, after his second test came back negative, that the initial test was a false positive. As a result, Heinisch was put back on the card after he was removed before the second test result arrived.
Frevola wrote on social media that Quarantillo was tested twice, as well, and both tests came back negative.
They tested him twice and he was positive both times
— SteamRolla_Frevola (@MattFre16) June 18, 2020
The UFC was not available for comment when reached by Crumpa. Sources say the promotion is currently working to sign a late replacement to face Camacho Saturday.
Saturday’s event, which will be held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, will be the UFC’s seventh since the pandemic started in America, and thus far, they have only had one active fighter pulled from a card because of a positive COVID-19 test. That was Jacare Souza, who tested positive on May 8, along with two of his cornermen. He was subsequently removed from UFC 249 the night before the event.
If the UFC can’t find a replacement for Frevola, the card, headlined by Curtis Blaydes vs. Alexander Volkov, will proceed with 11 fights.
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