Rashad Evans pulled from UFC 205

Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was making his middleweight debut at UFC 205, but an issue with his medicals have forced him off the card.

Rashad Evans was looking for a new challenge and venture at UFC 205, where the former light heavyweight champion was slated to make his debut at middleweight against Tim Kennedy. But while speaking with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, UFC president Dana White said Evans' bout against middleweight contender Tim Kennedy was off after an issue with Evans' medicals. 

With Dana White right now, tells me Evans/Kennedy is off due to an issue with Evans's medicals. More info to come.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 8, 2016

Despite the extra 20 pounds of weight for Evans to shed to fight at middleweight, weight cutting was not the issue that forced him off this card. Since there was an issue getting medical clearance, it seems more likely that there was a nagging or unresolved injury involved, forcing the New York Athletic Commission's hand in the matter.

And while the MMA community bemoans the fight's removal from the card, Kennedy himself had yet to hear the news since he was on a plane when the news was revealed. 

Evans won the second season of The Ultimate Fighter and has spent most of his career at 205 pounds. He has fought just twice since 2013, which is also the last time he won, defeating ChaelSonnen via TKO in the first round. Since then, Evans has lost to Ryan Bader at UFC 197 and earlier this year to Glover Teixeira at UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans. Teixeira defeated Evans in under two minutes.