Ongoing visa issues scrap another Taisumov bout, Dunham gets new UFC 223 opponent

When it comes to fighting, all Mairbek Taisumov’s problems seem to be going on outside the cage. ‘Beckan’ entered the UFC back in 2014 with a 21-4 record. Since then, he’s gone 6-1 in a shark tank of a lightweight division, with his last five fights all wins coming by knockout. That should be enough to put anyone on a fast track to title contention. Only, Taisumov has been stuck in the slow lane.

After competing five times in 2014-15 for the UFC, Taisumov has only fought once in each of the last two years, hampered almost entirely by ongoing visa issues. Potential fights with Chris Wade and Nik Lentz have fallen victim to his inability to make the trip stateside – a third bout with Joaquim…