Report: Visa issues force Aldo, 6 other Brazilians off UFC 250

Seven Brazilians won't be able to compete at UFC 250 on May 9 due to visa issues, sources told MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz.

Among the fighters forced off the card are Jose Aldo, who was scheduled to meet bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo in the main event, as well as Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who were scheduled to face each other in a light heavyweight contest.

The event was scheduled to take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, but the government reportedly decided to use the arena as a field hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic. With Brazilian consulates closed, UFC athletes are unable to apply for a work visa to fight in the United States.

UFC president Dana White said earlier this week he expects upcoming events to take place either at a location yet to be announced in the U.S., or on an island he's trying to secure for international fighters. The promotion has yet to confirm the status of UFC 250.

The other fighters unable to participate on May 9 are Ketlen Vieira, Bethe Correia, Augusto Sakai, and Carlos Felipe.

The only Brazilians who will reportedly remain on the card are UFC two-division champion Amanda Nunes and former heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum, as they both live and train stateside. Nunes will defend her women's featherweight title against Felicia Spencer in the co-main event and Werdum will meet Aleksei Oleinik in his first bout since March 2018.