The co-main event for next month’s UFC Fight Night Chile card has taken a hit according to Combate as Volkan Oezdemir has been pulled from a bout against former UFC Lightweight Champion Mauricio Rua.
Combate is stating that visa issues are keeping Oezdemir from entering the country. The visa issues could be related to Oezdemir being arrested in November of 2017 and the aggravated battery charge that went along with it.
Oezdemir has plead not guilty to the charges against him, but those charges levied against the fighter are allegedly prohibiting an entrance into the country of Chile.
Rua is expected to remain on the card at this time, as UFC officials are finding a replacement opponent for him to face.
Rua (25-10-0) enters the contest on a three fight winning streak, defeating the trio of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Corey Anderson and Gian Villante. Rua is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, defeating Lyoto Machida to win the gold at UFC 113. Rua has seen his last three fights go all the way into the third round, with two of those bouts going to the judges scorecards.
UFC Fight Night Chile takes place on Saturday, May 19 from the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile with Santiago Ponzinibbio and Kamaru Usman headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox Sports 1.
