UFC President Dana White is unsure whether or not Russia-based fighters will be able to compete at the upcoming UFC London card.
The UFC’s return to London is slated to take place on March 19 at the O2 Arena. The event will be headlined by a heavyweight matchup between Tom Aspinall and Russian contender Alexander Volkov.
Other British stars such as Paddy Pimblett and Arnold Allen will also be on the UFC London card. White has been waiting for months to bring the UFC not just to the U.K., but to the European continent in general.
During a recent interview with Barstool Sports, White gave an update on the status of Russian fighters competing at UFC London amidst the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“Yeah, you know, it’s obviously gonna cause problems. But we’ll figure it out,” White said.
White went on to address whether or not he could contact U.S. President Joe Biden for some assistance to have the Russian fighters fight in London.
“No, I have Trump’s number, but I definitely don’t have Biden’s number.”
It’s unclear if the UFC will have a backup plan in case Volkov and others won’t be able to fight. Russian heavyweights Sergei Pavlovich and Shamil Abdurakhimov will also compete on the main card.
In addition to recent concerns about Russian fighters, the O2 Arena’s roof was also partially damaged during a recent storm in the London area.
White sounds optimistic about making everything work for the upcoming UFC London card, but it’s clear that some hurdles remain just a few weeks before the event.
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