Dana White working on contingency plan for UFC London if Volkov is banned from UK because of Russia-Ukraine war

DANA WHITE is working on a contingency plan in case Alexander Volkov can’t headline UFC London later this month.

The former Bellator heavyweight champ is due to face surging Brit Tom Aspinall in the promotion’s long-awaited return to the UK.

UFC

Alexander Volkov is due to headline UFC London with Brit Tom Aspinall[/caption]

GETTY

But the Russian’s visa is in doubt following his nation’s illegal invasion of Ukraine[/caption]

GETTY

Dana White is working on a contingency plan for UFC London[/caption]

But Volkov’s participation on the card is in major doubt following the UK Government’s crackdown on Russian nationals and countries complicit with Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

White told SunSport during the UFC 272 press conference: “We’re working on that. London’s happening.

“The co-main event of this [card] fell out this week and we got it fixed. We’re pretty good at doing that.”

Home Office Secretary Priti Patel revealed last week that the UK had begun cancelling the visas for teams and athletes from nations connected to Putin’s invasion of Russia’s neighbours.

She tweeted: “I have cancelled the visas of the Belarusian Men’s Basketball Team who were due to play in Newcastle tomorrow night.

“The UK will not welcome the national sports teams of those countries who are complicit in Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of #Ukraine.”

But White is currently unaware of whether or not Volkov will be granted entry to the UK.

He said: “Of the top of my head right now, I don’t know where we’re at with that [right now.] Yeah, I don’t know.

“We’ve been working on it, obviously, since this whole thing started.”

Volkov isn’t the only Russian in danger of not fighting on the UFC’s first European card in almost three years.

Timur Valiev is slated to take on Wales’ Jack Shore, while heavyweights Shamil Abdurakhimov and Sergei Pavlovich are set to do battle.

The UFC hasn’t set foot in the UK since March 2019, with their final show before the pandemic hit being headlined by a welterweight showdown between Darren Till and BMF Jorge Masvidal.

UFC

The UFC hasn’t set foot in the UK for three years[/caption]

After the announcement of the promotion’s return, White said: “Every time we put on an event in London it’s an unbelievable experience.

“The fans are incredible, and the fights are always off the charts.

“It’s a different kind of energy in England. And I can’t wait to get back there with a fight card on March 19th.”

FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS