Mairbek Taisumov withdraws from UFC 223 due to visa delay

Mairbek Taisumov’s quest to secure a U.S. visa continues.

According to sources, there has been a delay with the Russian’s visa processing so his upcoming bout with Evan Dunham has been pulled from UFC 223. MMA Fighting understands that Taisumov’s visa process is still ongoing and his team is confident that he will compete in the U.S. in the near future. He has not been denied a U.S. visa.

“Beckan” has previously been forced off two previous UFC cards, UFC Fight Night 81 and UFC 203, due to visa issues.

In an interview with MMA Fighting ahead of his scrapped bout with Dunham, Taisumov was confident that he would be able to compete in the U.S. because UFC lawyers were helping him with the process.

“Right now, the UFC lawyers are working on it,” said Taisumov in January.

“I feel it will all be done very soon. All I can do is wait. It’s probably going to be a few more weeks, but from what I’ve heard I will finally get my visa. The process is ongoing, like I said the UFC lawyers are working on it, but they are very confident that everything will be okay.”

In the same interview, Taisumov insisted that there was no reason why he would not be granted a U.S. visa having competed in the country in the past.

“I’m not the problem. I’m just a sportsman; I’ve never done any kind of crime in my life. I’ve never done any bad things to people. I’m a good person and there’s nothing I have done in my life that would stop me from getting a visa, but I’ve still had trouble getting it,” he said.

“The strange thing is, I’ve been in America before. I had a two-year working visa. I’ve fought in America and everything was okay. I just came back after my fight and everything was fine.

“Now, it seems I can’t get my visa, and I don’t know why. It’s just politics, but it has a big effect on normal people like me. I really feel like it’s holding my career back.”