Undefeated featherweight contender Movsar Evloev nearly saw his biggest opportunity slip away before it began, as visa complications threatened to derail his main event clash with Lerone Murphy at UFC London on Saturday night.
With the issue ultimately resolved, Evloev arrived in London with his spot atop the card intact.
“It (looked) like London not accepting me, not inviting me, but I pushed all my willing and finally I get here. Thanks God. Was little issue with my visa. I just go to embassy and ask the main guy who working there,” Evloev told reporters on Wednesday.
“Please give it to me because now all my career depend on this visa. They helped me and this is the only thing that helped me with my visa. Otherwise it can take a couple more days, but I’m here.”
Evloev (19-0) is widely expected to lean on his grappling as his clearest path to victory. When one reporter suggested his striking might be underrated, the comment drew a laugh from the undefeated featherweight contender.
Evloev has often faced criticism from fans who question his style and lack of finishes, despite his undefeated record and steady climb up the rankings. For the Russian contender, those critiques miss the bigger picture of what it takes to consistently win at the highest level.
“Only casual people think I’m boring. They don’t understand what MMA really means. People who know the game they know that it’s not easy to be on this level and stay undefeated,” he said.
“Being #1 ranked is not joke. I’m always looking for finishes. Maybe it’s not my style. Maybe I’m more just do something to make my opponents tired. Technical work. At the end victory is the most important part of the fight.”
