Carlos Leal Out of Randy Brown Fight at UFC Vegas 123

Carlos Leal has withdrawn from his scheduled fight with Randy Brown at UFC Vegas 123, and the bout has been removed from the October 31 card.

No further detail on the reason for Leal's exit accompanied the news. What is clear is that the matchup, which had been set for the Halloween-night event, will not go ahead as planned.

Leal, a 32-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Thai Brasil, carries a 23-7-0 record. Nicknamed "The Lion," he works from an orthodox stance and stands five-foot-eleven with a 74-inch reach. His output is his calling card: he lands 8.75 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, a volume that ranks him among the busier strikers in the sport. He averages 0.43 takedowns per 15 minutes and has not attempted submissions.

Brown, a 36-year-old from Jamaica who trains at Budokan Martial Arts Academy, is 20-8-0. "Rudeboy" is the much longer fighter, listed at six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach, and also fights orthodox. His striking volume is lower, at 4.49 significant strikes per minute, though he matches Leal's 47 percent accuracy. Brown is the more active grappler of the two, averaging 0.76 takedowns and 0.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Brown loses his scheduled opponent on the October 31 card, leaving his status for the event in question.
• The booking would have pitted a high-volume striker against a rangy veteran with a more balanced offensive game.
• UFC Vegas 123 now has one fewer fight, and the promotion will have to decide whether to find a replacement.

For Leal, the withdrawal pushes any return back, while Brown awaits word on whether he will be rebooked for the event or a later date.