The UFC has cleared former champion BJ Penn for a comeback fight against Dennis Siver.
UFC president Dana White told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that Penn was cleared, and the UFC issued a statement Wednesday.
Penn will fight Siver at UFC 199 on June 4 in Inglewood, California.
Penn (16-10-2) has not fought since he announced his retirement in July 2014 following a TKO loss to Frankie Edgar. In February, the UFC postponed tentative plans for Penn's return after one of his former employees accused him of sexually assaulting his girlfriend. Penn immediately denied any wrongdoing.
The UFC said in its statement that according to its investigation through a Las Vegas law firm, no criminal or civil charges have been filed against Penn, but that the UFC reserves the right to re-evaluate the matter if new information becomes available.
Penn, 37, has been preparing for a comeback at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Widely considered the greatest lightweight of all time, Penn hasn't competed as a lightweight since 2010. He moved up to welterweight for a four-fight stretch between 2010 and 2012, amassing a record of 1-2-1. He then dropped all the way to featherweight in the loss to Edgar.
A former lightweight and welterweight champion, Penn is one of two athletes to win UFC titles in multiple weight classes. Only he and former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture carry that distinction. Penn is originally from Hilo, Hawaii, and made his professional debut in 2001.
A middleweight championship fight between Luke Rockhold (15-2) and Chris Weidman (13-1) is scheduled to headline the UFC 199 pay-per-view.
