Filipino-American mixed martial arts fighter Mark Striegl remains upbeat he will see action in the Ultimate Fighting Championship after recovering from the Covid-19.
The 32-year-old Baguio-based fighter’s debut with UFC in the preliminary bouts of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, Nevada on Aug. 22 was cancelled after he tested positive for the infection. His condition is stable, but with mild symptoms.
“You can never be too careful these days. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I’m looking forward to bouncing back. Thank you to the UFC for taking care of me and to everyone for all your support. Stay safe everyone,” Striegl said in an interview.
Striegl, who has 18 wins and two losses as a professional MMA fighter, was supposed to take on fellow debutant Timur Valiev of Russia.
Trevin Jones of Guam, who saw action in the defunct Pacific Xtreme Combat along with Striegl, has stepped in for the Fil-Am fighter.
The 30-year-old Jones frustrated Valiev’s debut with a second-round technical knockout via punches of their catchweight bout.
Jones has also defeated some of the best Filipino fighters in his previous fights.
Striegl, meanwhile, is expected to go back to training as soon as he fully recovers from the Covid-19 infection, as he is expected to be included in the upcoming UFC fight night events.
Last year, Striegl, who represented the Philippines, won gold medal in the men’s 74-kilogram combat sambo in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The journey man also fought under the ONE Championship promotion, where he nailed two wins and suffered one loss before he opted to go back to the Universal Reality Combat Championship where he reigned supreme from 2016 to 2018.
His fight against Shunichi Shimizu in the URCC 77-Raw Fury in April 2019 ended in a no contest verdict. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 27, 2024
