Rashad Evans is seemingly having a tough time acquiring a license from an athletic commission from the looks of it as he has had to bow out of yet another fight thanks to the persisting commission issue.
The ex UFC lightweight champion was drafted to fight Tim Kennedy in UFC fight night 106 scheduled for the 10th of December and this draw had fans and punters alike buzzing, but alas, it is not going to happen. UFC fight night 106 however will happen with the exception of this fight, and the venue is Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The news was first delivered not by Evans, but instead but Kennedy who told Ariel Helwani on an episode of the MMA Hour that was broadcasted on a Monday after which in a subsequent interview it was also confirmed by Evans’ manager Ali – Abdel – Aziz.
According to Kennedy, the athletic commission in Ontario pretty much prohibited Evans from acquiring a license in order to compete in the jurisdiction of the Ontario province which is not unlike what the New York State Athletic Commission did when they refused to issue him Evans a license to fight in New York State when he wanted to compete in UFC fight night 205 which occurred earlier this month.
As per Evans’ manager, Abdel – Aziz, the Ontario State athletic department is known for being one of the most stubborn commissions in all of North America. He further said that they did not even like the MMA at all. He confirmed that the UFC is working to ensure that Rashad Evans is back in the octagon at the latest by early 2017.
Previously, Evans was to face Kennedy himself but in New York back in UFC fight night 206 when the New York State Athletic Department prohibited the fight only a week before when it was supposed to happen due to an apparent issue with Evans’ MRI scan.
Evans is disappointed and feels he is healthy and in better shape than ever, but understands that the athletic commission has a zero tolerance policy towards such issues and has no choice but to wait it out.