The highly anticipated Most Valuable Promotions' first-ever MMA card has hit an unexpected snag just one week before fight night. On Saturday, the promotion announced that undefeated star Muhammad Mokaev has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Adriano Moraes due to visa delays. Stepping in on short notice is the undefeated Phumi Nkuta, who will now face Moraes in a 130-pound catchweight clash.

This shake-up comes as MVP prepares to deliver a historic event headlined by the legendary Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano featherweight showdown. The main card airs live on Netflix starting at 9 p.m. ET on May 16 from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with prelims kicking off earlier at 6 p.m. ET on MVP's YouTube channel.

Nkuta, a 30-year-old South African fighter nicknamed "Turbo," brings an unblemished 11-0 professional record into this high-stakes matchup. A former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder, he has also competed in Bellator MMA and Legacy Fighting Alliance. He last competed at Urijah Faber's A1 Combat 34 in March, earning a unanimous decision victory over Namiki Kawahara.

Moraes, known as "Black Diamond," is a former ONE Championship titleholder at 135 pounds who made his name during a lengthy 12-6 run under the ONE banner starting in 2013. The Brazilian veteran is best remembered for his stunning second-round knockout of MMA legend Demetrious Johnson in April 2021.

Mokaev, the reigning Brave Combat Federation champion, remains unbeaten at 17-0 in professional MMA. He earned a Top 10 ranking during a 7-0 stint in the UFC, where he defeated notable names like Manel Kape, Alex Perez, and Tim Elliott. After his UFC release in 2024, he has gone 3-0 and captured the Brave CF flyweight title last November.

While visa issues have derailed one fight, the card still promises plenty of action for fight fans. The new Moraes vs. Nkuta bout will be contested over three five-minute rounds under professional MMA rules, keeping the intensity high for this exciting MVP debut.