UFC & Ontario Commission Release Statements On Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans has found it rather difficult to say the least when it comes to his attempts to make his 185-pound debut, as he has now been denied a license to compete by both the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) and the Ontario Ministory of Tourism, Culture and Sport in the span of a few weeks.
Evans was scheduled to make his middleweight debut against Tim Kennedy at UFC 205 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from New York City, but was denied his license and the bout was called off. The bout was re-booked for UFC 206, however, Evans license troubles again would force him off of the card.
The UFC has released an official statement on the matter which you can read here:
“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 organization 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.”
The Ontario Ministory of Tourism, Culture and Sport (courtesy of MMA Fighting) has also released a statement of their own regarding the matter:
“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.”
