Kevin Casey will get back inside the Octagon 10 days after the end of his suspension.
The former RFA middleweight champion, who tested positive for the anabolic steroid drostanolone following his 61-second knockout victory over Bubba Bush at UFC 175, is scheduled to meet Ildemar Alcantara at UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego, Calif., on July 15.
Sources closed to the situation told MMAFighting.com that that the bout is agreed, but contracts are not signed yet. Combate first reported the match-up.
Casey (8-3, 1 no-contest) admitted using banned substances to cut weight and make his return to the UFC a month after winning the vacant RFA title, and was issued a one-year suspension by Nevada Athletic Commission.
A black belt under Kron and Rickson Gracie, Casey scored six of his eight professional victories by knockout or submission. In his first UFC run, after competing at TUF 17, Casey was released after a second-round TKO loss to Josh Samman.
Alcantara (21-7), one of the few fighters in the history to win fights in three different weight classes in the UFC, returned to 185 pounds and defeated Richardson Moreira at UFC 183. “Marajo” went 2-2 as a welterweight, and holds a submission win over Wagner Prado in a light heavyweight bout.
Headlined by Frank Mir vs. Todd Duffee, UFC Fight Night 71 takes place at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego.
Main card:
Frank Mir vs. Todd Duffee
Al Iaquinta vs. Bobby Green
Josh Thomson vs. Tony Ferguson
Alan Jouban vs. Matt Dwyer
Doo Ho Choi vs. Sam Sicilia
Holly Holm vs. Marion Reneau
Undercard:
Sean Strickland vs. Igor Araujo
Scott Jorgensen vs. Manny Gamburyan
Kevin Lee vs. James Moontasri
Andrew Craig vs. Edgar Garcia
Jessica Andrade vs. Sarah Moras
Kevin Casey vs. Ildemar Alcantara