UFC 223 is down a fight after Mairbek Taisumov was removed from the event last night, though the UFC has yet to officially announce the move. The Russian-born Austrian was scheduled to fight Evan Dunham in a lightweight clash on the Fight Pass prelims.
Taisumov was removed from the card due to having his visa delayed. Sources close to his team confirmed the issue is with his visa being “delayed and not denied”. They also indicated he is hoping to be booked on the next available UFC fight card. It is believed they inquired about the upcoming London card (as he is able to fight in Europe) but it does not appear the UFC has a spot for him.
Taisumov is 6-1 in the UFC and has finished his last 5 opponents. All of his fights in the UFC have either been in Europe, Singapore, or Brazil. Hence, he hasn’t had to obtain a visa to fight in the United States thus far in his UFC career. He did fight once in the United States for M-1 in 2011, however.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjbKwY8bilc
Mairbek Taisumov vs Evan Dunham
While Taisumov has been making a case for a top-15 ranking at 155lbs recently, #14 ranked Evan Dunham has only fought twice in the last 2 years. Injuries, both his and his opponents’, have caused multiple fight cancellations for the 36-year-old in recent years.
Dunham’s last fight was a majority draw against Beneil Dariush at UFC 216. Leading up to his bout with Dariush, Dunham was riding a 4-fight winning streak. He defeated Rodrigo Damm, Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon, and Rick Glenn during this stretch.
As for Taisumov, losing out on a fight against a ranked opponent is tough for any fighter but especially for someone fighting at lightweight. It takes a lot to break away from the pack in one of the UFC’s most crowded divisions. It took Taisumov 5 straight finishes.
There is currently no word on if the fight will be rescheduled for a later date or if a replacement opponent will be found for Dunham at UFC 223.
