Shinya Aoki vs.Jamie Varner uncertain at DREAM 'Fight for Japan'

by Ken Pishna (Reporting by Erik Fontanez) | source: mmaweekly.com

Visa issues will reportedly prevent Brazilian Willamy Freire from competing against Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki at Dream 17. Instead, negotiations have been underway for Aoki to face former WEC lightweight king Jamie Varner at the event, or former MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee.

Despite reports stating that Shinya Aoki vs. Jamie Varner is a done deal for Dream’s May 29 event in Japan, the fight is anything but a sure thing.

Neither fighter has signed for the fight yet.

Varner’s management team at KO Reps told MMAWeekly.com late Saturday night that no contracts have been signed for the fight, and at this time the bout is looking less and less likely to happen.

Varner is currently scheduled to compete at next weekend’s XFO event in Illinois, and should still be fighting on that card regardless of if the Aoki fight gets signed or not.

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On the other side, reports from Japan are that the fight vs Varner is a go.

If you have followed our site in the past, you know we do not post stories until we know 100% they are true.

That said, Shinya Aoki has confirmed with MMA-JAPAN that he will indeed be fighting Jamie Varner at the "Dream: Fight for Japan" event this month in a lightweight bout.

Varner, a long time WEC veteran, who was left off the UFC's roster will tasked with figuring out the mystical submission wizard while Aoki is coming off an impressive victory at the hands of Lyle Beerbohm.

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