Mousasi, UFC react to Trump travel ban

US President Donald Trump has issued via executive order an enormously controversial travel ban. It prohibits all refugees from entering the US for 120 days. Further, it has a temporary 90-day ban on immigrants from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen) that were identified by the previous administration as countries of concerns for terrorist activity.

Iranian-born UFC middleweight Gegard Mousasi is currently training in his adopted home of Holland for a fight with Chris Weidman at UFC 210, which will be held in Buffalo, New York. The Dreamcatcher was asked by MMA DNA if the ban would effect him.

I don’t know, the UFC is working on it – the lawyers and guys that take care of the visa, said Mousasi. So I just have to wait. They’re going to change some things probably, in a couple weeks, because there’s a lot of protests of the change. I just have to wait and see.

“I was born in Iran. I have Dutch nationality. I have visa for US. Rule is, even if you’re born in Iran, you’re a threat. So … I don’t know.”

“It’s going to ruin the relationship between countries. The US is on a wrong path.”

Mousasi also said his training camp was off to a good start.

The UFC released a statement to the media.

We are aware of the federal travel ban. There are numerous variables including a judicial injunction. We are monitoring and will be affirmatively engaged to ensure that our fighters and employees are able to compete and do their jobs.

Other Iran-born UFC fighters include Beneil Dariush and Reza Madadi.