Marquardt out of UFC after failed medical test

Ultimate Fighting Championship standout Nate Marquardt has been scrapped from his main event fight tonight against Rick Story and released from the organization after failing a prefight medical screening.

Marquardt was to make his welterweight debut (170 pounds) after competing almost his entire career at middleweight (185).

“(Marquardt) failed his medicals,” UFC president Dana White said. “Not only is he out of this fight and out of the main event on Versus, he will no longer be with the UFC.”

The cause of Marquardt’s screening failure was not disclosed, but he tested positive for nandrolone — a performance-enhancing drug — in Nevada in 2005.

A heavyweight bout between Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo now will serve as the main event for “UFC on Versus 4” in Pittsburgh. The four-fight main card will air live at 6 p.m. on Versus (38).

Story will face Charlie Brenneman, who was left without an opponent when T.J. Grant pulled out last week because of an undisclosed injury.

Story is riding a six-fight winning streak and trying to make his case for a title shot. A win over Brenneman wouldn’t do as much to that end as a victory over Marquardt would have.

The 26-year old from Washington state has perhaps as much momentum as any other contender in the organization. Story is fighting less than a month after upsetting Thiago Alves for the biggest win of his career, at UFC 130 on May 28.

Kongo has just one win in his past four fights, losing two in a row before knocking out Paul Buentello last year. The French kick-boxer settled for a draw against Travis Browne when he was deducted a point for holding onto the cage.

Barry, also a kick-boxing specialist, usually finds himself in exciting bouts, and this one should be no different.

In another heavyweight matchup, unbeaten former NFL player Matt Mitrione will meet Christian Morecraft.

And John Howard will take on Matt Brown in a welterweight bout after an injury left Martin Kampmann unable to fight Howard.

The entire undercard, which includes the featherweight debuts of Joe Stevenson and Tyson Griffin, will air live on Facebook. Stevenson and Griffin both lost their final three fights at lightweight.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.