UFC Won't Find New Opponent for Tim Kennedy, Shuffles Fight Schedule | MMAWeekly.com

With Rashad Evans being denied a license to fight at UFC 205 due to concerns about a medical issue, Tim Kennedy was also pulled from the fight card.

UFC officials announced the bout’s cancellation late Tuesday afternoon in a statement released to MMAWeekly.com.

“The UFC organization was notified (Tuesday) that the New York State Athletic Commission has denied Rashad Evans a license to compete at UFC 205 due to a medical issue. Evans’ scheduled bout against Tim Kennedy this coming Saturday, November 12 in New York, will be removed from the fight card. However, both athletes will receive their show money.  There are currently no plans to replace this bout.”

The bout’s removal left a hole in the four-bout Fox Sports 1 preliminary portion of the fight card.

A middleweight bout between Rafael Natal and Tim Boetsch had been scheduled for the UFC Fight Pass early prelims, but was elevated to the Fox Sports 1 prelims to fill the vacancy left by the removal of Evans vs. Kennedy.

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Evans revealed in a statement to MMAFighting.com that the New York State Athletic Commission’s concern about his medicals stemmed from an irregularity on an MRI from October. He declined to identify what the commission’s specific concern was, but declared himself healthy, saying, “I don’t want anyone worrying about me. I’m fine, physically speaking. Never felt better. It’s just the commission and their rules.”

UFC 205, which is headlined by a lightweight championship fight between current titleholder Eddie Alvarez and featherweight champion Conor McGregor, will now proceed with 12 bouts.

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