Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will make his middleweight debut at UFC 209 on March 4 in Las Vegas, pending approval by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
According to multiple sources, the UFC is looking to book a 185-pound fight between Evans (19-5-1) and Daniel Kelly, a former Australian Olympian. The UFC 209 event takes place inside T-Mobile Arena.
It will mark Evans' third attempt to fight at 185 pounds. He was scheduled to face Tim Kennedy at UFC 205 in November, but the New York State Athletic Commission denied Evans a license due to an issue on his pre-fight MRI.
The UFC rebooked that matchup for UFC 206 the following month in Toronto, but the Ontario Athletic Commission followed NYSAC's lead and denied Evans a license. Evans and his management have repeatedly stated that he is healthy and has been cleared by multiple physicians.
In an interview with ESPN.com in December, Evans said, "I've went to see specialists and make sure all my paperwork is in. I've done everything to get tested out and make sure I'm safe to step into the cage again. That was the first and foremost thing -- making sure everything is fine -- and I passed with flying colors."
An NSAC official told ESPN.com that Evans would be required to undergo the "normal medical procedures" for a license to fight at UFC 209, which includes submitting medical records.
Evans is looking for a fresh start in a new weight class. He is coming off back-to-back losses at 205 pounds against Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira. He won the UFC title in 2008 and surrendered the belt to Lyoto Machida the following year.
Kelly (12-1) is 5-1 in the UFC. He is a former Olympic judoka for Australia and is currently on a three-fight win streak.
A welterweight title fight between defending champion Tyron Woodley (16-3-1) and Stephen Thompson (13-1-1) is scheduled to headline UFC 209.
