Movsar Evloev has opened up on the desperate lengths he went to solve his visa issues for UFC London after seeing his main event with Lerone Murphy fall into serious jeopardy.
The featherweight number one contender has not fought since December 2024 but has the chance to stake his claim for a title shot against Alexander Volkanovski on Saturday night.
The Russian wrestler was at risk of missing out on the event entirely, though, with his UK visa not being issued until the 11th hour.
Evloev, 32, revealed that he resorted to going to the embassy and pleading with staff to grant his entry.
“It was looked like London [was] not accepting me but I pushed all my willing and finally I get here, thank God,” Evloev said, who had denied that he was in the throw of visa problems last week.
“It was a little issue with my visa. It was literally, I just go to embassy and ask the main guy who working there ‘just please give it to me because now all my career depends on this visa’, and they helped me.
“This is the only thing what helped me with my visa, to be honest, otherwise it can take a couple more days which is like ‘no more fight for me’. But I'm here.”
Evloev, undefeated at 19-0, was meant to fight hot-shot newcomer Aaron Pico last summer only to be forced out due to injury.
Manchester fighter Murphy stepped in at short notice and pulled out one of the knockouts of the year, sleeping Pico in stunning fashion to keep his own zero in tact.
A year on from missing out on a home outing for his five-round clash with Josh Emmett, Murphy will fight in front of a partisan crowd against grappling-heavy Evloev, whose fight style is not particularly fan-friendly.
But while the Russian will mentally be preparing for boos, he doesn’t feel that he is necessarily fighting in enemy territory.
“I am from Russia and I am fighting in Englishmen in England, but I don't think that should matter in any way,” he said. “I think what's important is that both of us are athletes and we're fighting to find out who is the strongest.
“I think once the Octagon door closes, this is now our territory. It's now neutral ground because at this point it's skill versus skill and it doesn't matter where you come from.
“I'm very proud of the fact that from Ingushetia, but I don't think that has any kind of effect in the Octagon itself. And in the Octagon, may the greatest win, may the strongest win.”
