Originally headlined by a five-round clash between Australia's Mark Hunt and Poland's Marcin Tybura, the card changed shape dramatically when the UFC pulled Hunt from the card, citing an interview with website Player's Voice where Hunt talked of problems with his memory and slurring his words.

The back-and-forth between the notoriously salty Hunt - who is currently suing the UFC after his opponent at UFC 200, Brock Lesnar, tested positive for steroids - and the UFC was acrimonious.Hunt claimed he'd passed all his pre-fight medicals.

The UFC said he needed more tests.

In the midst of all this, Hunt's loyal fans were calling for a boycott of the event.

Brown, who has a showdown with US slugger Frank "The Crank" Camacho, understands why the fans feel the way they feel, but he says it's damn right disrespectful for fans to boycott the card.He's got a much, much better idea.

"By boycotting the event, you're not supporting every other Australian and New Zealand fighter on the card," he said.

"If they really want to have an effect, right, those fans should turn up, watch the card, and walk out before the main event. That's a show of support.

"There's always going to be fans that turn up and support it, I don't think the venue will sell out but then it didn't before anyway.

"I think it'll be a good show and anyone that doesn't show up is missing out on another historic event for Australian MMA."

Still, the shadow of Hunt looms large over this card, as does the growing concern over the long-term impact of getting punched in the face for a living.

Conspiracy theorists will point out that pulling Hunt from a headlining card in his adopted home country in the midst of a legal battle doesn't exactly pass the smell test, but if Brown is certain of one thing, it's that only two men really know what's going on.

"If he passed his medicals, I don't think there was a reason to take him off the card," Brown said.

"He said he did, Dana White said he didn't.

"Nobody really knows the answer apart from those two people.

"If they feel there's a risk of brain injury, or something more severe, they have a duty of care to look after us.

"We're fighters, we'll fight anyway, that's what we do and it's how we pay our bills."

Brown knows more than he'd like to about those bills.

He's been on the shelf since June following a knockout loss to Vinc Pichel at UFC 110 in June, and that means five months of uncertainty and five months of no income.

For a guy that likes to fight three to four times a year with a wife and a newborn baby boy at home, that's a problem.

"I hate it.

"I like to fight three to four times a year.

"This is what we do as a job and we get rewarded well by the UFC compared to anywhere else but for people like myself it's not sustainable.

"So you go back to work, you're grinding like any other Aussie, trying to train around shiftwork, waiting to see if you're going to get a fight, it's a real pain in the arse.

"It would be a lot less stressful if they said hey man, you're going to fight here. Three months away, that's cool. Four months away, that's cool. If I fight three times a year I'm super good. Four times a year even better.

"It was frustrating waiting four months for a fight and then only getting six weeks notice but I'm happy to be signed again and I'm happy for a fight. I'll never be ungrateful for that."

Regardless of what happens this weekend, Brown's next goal is to book a slot on the massive Perth pay-per- view card in February 2018.

He says the timing couldn't be better.

"Perth's on my radar no matter what, barring some sort of severe injury. It's 12 weeks after this show, three months away, that's perfect for a couple of weeks of downtime then get on to it straight away."