Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Former UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt was not medically cleared Saturday by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, and has been scratched from his welterweight fight on Sunday against Rick Story.

Shortly after Marquardt failed his prefight medical exam, UFC president Dana White announced that the fighter had been released from the promotion.

“I’m sure you’ve heard that Nate Marquardt is out. It’s true. He failed his medicals,” White said on a video blog. “Not only is he out of this fight and out of the main event on Versus, he will no longer be with the UFC.”

No reason was given for the commission’s decision not to clear Marquardt, who was scheduled to make his UFC welterweight debut at Consol Energy Center.

With Marquardt unable to compete, the ‘UFC on Versus 4’ main event will feature heavyweightsCheick Kongo against Pat Barry.

Story will face Charlie Brenneman in the co-feature.

WRITTEN BY Franklin McNeil covers mixed martial arts and boxing for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Franklin_McNeil.