UFC Attempting To Secure Visa For Jack Hermansson, Is First Choice For Chris Weidman Fight

The UFC is still looking to book a middleweight encounter between Jack Hermansson and Chris Weidman.

The pair were originally set to collide in the UFC Oklahoma City headliner on May 2. However, Hermansson — currently based in Norway — was unable to travel to the United States last month due to travel restrictions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event was later canceled.

However, the promotion is now attempting to secure “The Joker” a visa to the United States as it gets ready to resume its schedule next month.

“Right now, I’m not sure they will be able to get me a new visa, they are working on it and as soon as things are sorted, and the UFC thinks they can make it happen, so I’m sure they will,” Hermansson told MMA Fighting’s Eurobash podcast.

“I’m not too sure what day I got the notice [regarding traveling restrictions to the U.S.], but it was not unexpected. I trained hard for the fight, but I knew this could happen, but I’m still training and waiting for a new chance that it will show up.”

Of course, only essential travel is granted to the United States as of now, so it might be an uphill task for Hermansson to get his visa.

That is why while Hermansson is their top choice to face the former middleweight champion, they also have reserve opponents in mind.

“I am the matchup that they want, but at the same time they’re trying to get reserves,” Hermansson added. “That was the situation when we were supposed to fight as well. They had a couple of reserves in case I couldn’t make it inside the States, but then they postponed the whole thing anyway.

“Right now, I’m not sure. I’m speaking to the UFC and right now they still want to make the fight happen. I guess if they can’t make it happen soon enough they will have someone for Weidman.”

Hermansson is coming off a second-round TKO defeat to Jared Cannonier. He was previously on a four-fight winning streak.

Do you think Hermansson will be granted a visa and potentially end up facing Weidman next month?