Visa issues have thrown a wrench into this weekend’s UFC Vegas 107 main card, forcing a late shuffle that’s left matchmakers scrambling and fans double-checking their fight night lineups. This fight card is hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Visa Issues Shake Up UFC Vegas 107: Main Card Gets Last-Minute Makeover
The drama unfolded just days before the event, with Seok Hyun Ko and Oban Elliott both sidelined by visa problems, leaving two welterweight bouts in limbo.
Rather than scrap the fights altogether, the UFC has done a bit of matchmaking Tetris. Billy Ray Goff, originally set to face Ko, will now square off against Ramiz Brahimaj, who was supposed to meet Elliott. Ko and Elliott aren’t out of luck, though; they’ve been rescheduled to throw down at UFC Baku on June 21, giving them a bit more time to sort out their paperwork and maybe brush up on their Azerbaijani.
The rest of the UFC Vegas 107 card remains intact, with the main event spotlighting top women’s flyweights Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber. Blanchfield, currently ranked No. 4, is looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Manon Fiorot earlier this year, while Barber, riding a six-fight win streak, is eyeing a title shot if she can get past her rival.
The co-main event features Mateusz Gamrot, ranked No. 7 at lightweight, taking on the streaking Ľudovít Klein, who’s unbeaten in his last seven. Back to the welterweight shuffle: Brahimaj, a six-fight UFC veteran known for his submission game, will try to string together consecutive wins for the first time in the promotion. Goff, a knockout artist with a 9-3 record, is hoping to rebound from a decision loss in his last outing and remind fans why his fights are rarely dull.
As for Elliott and Ko, their rescheduled bout in Baku adds some extra spice to the UFC’s debut in Azerbaijan, with Elliott looking to extend his three-fight UFC win streak and Ko aiming to impress in his long-awaited Octagon debut.
While the main card may look a little different than planned, the action is set to deliver, just with a few new faces and a couple of passports still waiting for that all-important stamp.
