Tim Kennedy's return to the UFC will come in the promotion's debut card at "The World's Most Famous Arena."
Kennedy reportedly will fight Rashad Evans on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden as part of UFC 205, the first time the Ultimate Fighting Championship will host a card in New York state. It'll be the first UFC bout for the Texas Army National Guard sergeant first class since a 2014 loss to Yoel Romero in September 2014; he's 3-1 in the promotion.
Evans confirmed the fight to CBSSports.com on Friday. Multiple mixed martial arts media outlets have reported the bout will take place, but the UFC has yet to announce it.
The fight will be Evans’ first in the 185-pound middleweight class after beginning his UFC career as "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 2 winner at heavyweight (265-pound limit) and spending about a decade in the light heavyweight division (205 pounds). He beat Forest Griffith for the 205-pound belt in December 2008, then lost it the following May to Lyoto Machida.
Evans lost an April 2012 title fight to then-champ Jon "Bones" Jones via five-round decision. It was the first of four losses in the 36-year-old’s last six fights.
Kennedy, a former active-duty Special Forces soldier, announced via Facebook Live last month that he had a comeback fight set but could not reveal details before the UFC did.
"It's going to be big," Kennedy promised, adding that a victory should put him at the front of the line to challenge UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Kennedy defeated Bisping via decision in their first showdown in April 2014.
Evans beat Bisping at 205 pounds in 2007, prior to wins over UFC legends such as Chuck Liddell, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Tito Ortiz and Dan Henderson.
The promotion's website has yet to post any official fights for UFC 205, but UFC President Dana White said in a recent radio interview that the card will include a 170-pound bout between Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Robbie Lawler.
Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.
