Visa issues require massive changes to UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero
Visa issues have forced the UFC to make major changes to the upcoming UFC Fight Night card in Hollywood, Fla., with several bouts cancelled -- including the co-main event between Rick Story and Erick Silva.
According to a release from the UFC on Friday, "an issue affecting the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs visa system and a technical problem with the Consular Consolidated Database" prevented several international fighters from securing visas to travel to the United States in time for the card next weekend in Florida.
12 fighters in total were unable to obtain visas and had to be pulled from the card.
The UFC will move forward with the fight card, although major changes were made to facilitate the show still taking place.
The main event will remain intact as former champion Lyoto Machida faces Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero in the five-round headline fight in the middleweight division.
With Story vs. Silva cancelled and both fighters awaiting word from the UFC on what comes next for them, middleweights Lorenz Larkin and Santiago Ponzinibbio will now step up as the new co-main event of the evening.
"The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4" finale fights in the lightweight and bantamweight divisions will no longer take place on the card and instead will move to UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia in Brazil on August 1.
Also, the fight between Rani Yahya and Masanori Kanehara has also been pulled from the show and that bout will now take place at UFC Fight Night in San Diego on July 15.
The complete UFC Fight Night card from Hollywood, Fla., is listed below as it currently stands with one more bout expected to be added in the coming days.
MAIN EVENT: Lyoto Machida vs. Yoel Romero
Lorenz Larkin vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Eddie Gordon vs. Antonio Carlos Junior
Steve Bosse vs. Thiago Santos
Hacran Dias vs. Levan Makashvili
Alex Oliveira vs. Joe Merritt
Leandro 'Buscape' Silva vs. Lewis Gonzalez
Steve Montgomery vs. Tony Sims
The card will air live on FOX Sports 1 next Saturday night from Hollywood, Fla.
