Jose Aldo among Brazilians out of UFC 250 and beyond because of visa issues during pandemic

The UFC 250 fight card has all but fallen apart.

With U.S. consulates closed throughout Brazil, seven Brazilian fighters – including headliner Jose Aldo – won’t be permitted to compete at the May 9 event because they can’t apply for a U.S. work visa. A person familiar with the matter confirmed the news Wednesday to MMA Junkie after an initial report from MMA Fighting.

UFC 250 originally was scheduled to take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, but is among two months worth of events that UFC president Dana White plans on holding at a secret U.S. location during the coronavirus pandemic. The location, which will start hosting events April 18 with UFC 249, is on tribal land at Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, Calif., according to reports, and is therefore exempt from a statewide stay-at-home order.

Former featherweight champion Aldo was scheduled to challenge Henry Cejudo for the bantamweight title, but that fight is no more. Combate reported Wednesday night that former 135-pound champ Dominick Cruz, who hasn’t competed since December 2016, will step in to face Cejudo. Cruz seemingly confirmed that on social media, although no official announcement has been made.

In addition to Aldo, the other Brazilian fighters now ruled out of UFC 250 are Mauricio Rua, Ketlen Vieira, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Bethe Correia, Augusto Sakai, and Carlos Felipe. Rua and Nogueira were set to square off.

Two Brazilian fighters unaffected are women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and Fabricio Werdum, who both live and train in the U.S.

It’s unknown if the opponents opposite the removed Brazilian fighters will remain on the card.

UFC 250 wasn’t the only event impacted by this issue, though. Brazilian news outlet Combate reported Thursday that essentially every non-U.S.-based Brazilian fighter would be unable to compete in bouts planned up until May 16.

That includes: Ariane Carnelossi and Raphael Pessoa on the April 25 card, Marina Rodriguez and Vanessa Melo on the May 2 card, as well as Luana Carolina, Ariane Lipski and Lara Procopio an the May 16 card.