View this post on InstagramA post shared by Steven Mowry (@tallstevefightspeople) on
The undefeated heavyweight prospect announced on Instagram that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is off Friday’s card. Mowry was supposed to face Rudy Schaffroth in a preliminary contest streamed on the promotion’s YouTube page. According to a report from Between Rounds Radio, Schaffroth will now face Maine-based heavyweight Ras Hylton at Bellator 242. The 32-year-old Hylton has compiled a 4-3 record on the regional circuit.
“So, uhhh, long story short I’m not fighting because of a positive COVID-19 test,” Mowry wrote. “2020, am I right?”
Mowry trains at Sanford MMA with Gilbert Burns and Aung La N Sang, both of whom also recently tested positive for coronavirus. The Pittsburgh native is 7-0 thus far in his professional career, including three triumphs under the Bellator banner.
Bellator 242 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and is headlined by a bantamweight showdown between Sergio Pettis and Ricky Bandejas. The main card airs on Paramount Network at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, while the preliminary card streams on YouTube at 8:45 p.m. ET/5:45 p.m. PT.
Note: This article was updated at approximately 10:51 p.m. ET to include new information regarding Schaffroth's replacement opponent.