...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Mark Hunt doesn't yet have a work visa to enter the U.S. for next week's UFC 160 event, but he does have a license for the event from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The heavyweight fighter remains in New Zealand, still trying to work through issues stemming from a 2002 arrest in Las Vegas that has not allowed him to fly into the city yet for the event. But he called in on Friday for an NSAC meeting to talk to the commission about his issues and to officially get his license for a fight against Junior dos Santos next week.
Ariel Helwani, reporter for MMAFighting.com and Fuel TV's UFC Tonight, gave an update on Twitter from the conference call.
"I'm still waiting. I think I should be getting one on Monday. Hopefully Monday," Hunt said when asked about his visa. He was then granted his license from the NSAC, but again, needs his visa in order to fly in to fight next week.
That leads to the other fighter who was granted a license on Friday, Roy Nelson. He was granted one in case he's needed to step in and they work out a deal next week to have him face Junior dos Santos.
Penick's Analysis: Things are exactly where they have been since earlier this week, they've just officially got Nelson ready in case Hunt can't get to the U.S. The fact that he continues to get pushed back on a resolution for his visa isn't boding well for the fight happening right now, but he and the UFC continue to hold out hope. For now, that's all that can be done, and if he can't make it in, Nelson's at the ready if the UFC can work out a deal for he and Junior dos Santos to fight a second time instead.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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