The Ontario Athletic Commission has notified the UFC about middleweight Rashad Evans, as he was not handed a license to compete against Tim Kennedy at the UFC 206 pay-per-view event in Toronto, Canada. Rashad has been pulled for the same reason his fight with Kennedy was cancelled from the historic UFC 205 card in New York.
A statement issued earlier by the OAC stated,
“The Office of the Athletics Commissioner is responsible for upholding medical requirements, which are put in place to protect the safety of contestants.
In regards to the UFC 206 event on December 10, Mr Evans has not cleared Ontario's medical licensing requirements.
We can confirm that his proposed bout has not been approved but are unable to comment further on his private and confidential medical information.”
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The issue the NYSAC and the OAC had and currently have with Evans was to do with his MRI scan, it's something that Evans claims he has fought with over the duration of his UFC career.
Also read: UFC News: Rashad Evans explains why his UFC 205 fight with Tim Kennedy was called off
Evans said that he had passed multiple follow-up tests, but the NYSAC has still not approved him for a license.
The UFC has since issued a statement stating that Evans fight with Tim Kennedy had been cancelled once again. It read:
"UFC has been notified by the Ontario Athletic Commission that it has declined to approve a license for middleweight Rashad Evans, based on the recent medical issue that prohibited him from competing at UFC 205 in New York City.
As a result, Evans' rescheduled bout against Tim Kennedy, set for UFC 206 in Toronto on Saturday, December 10, has subsequently been cancelled.
The UFC organisation takes the health and safety of all athletes competing under the UFC banner very seriously and has encouraged Evans to take all the appropriate time to consult with his physicians and properly evaluate his medical status prior to scheduling any future bouts.”
Evans apologised to Kennedy via Twitter and assured fans of a return to the Octagon dismissing rumours of a possible retirement. The Tweets can be read below:
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