Alistair Overeem applies for license for UFC 156 bout, must appear before NSAC at Jan. 8 meeting

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Alistair Overeem will return to action on Feb. 2 at UFC 156, just over 13 months after his first round stoppage of Brock Lesnar in his UFC debut. He's been out of action all year after a failed drug test led to a nine-month license denial, but that denial period has now expired.

Overeem's nine-month denial period was up on Thursday, and he's not wasting any time in taking care of the paperwork.

According to NSAC executive director Keith Kizer, via MMAJunkie.com, Overeem has submitted his license application already, though it won't be a simple stamp and approve process for the Dutch striker.

"He will be required per his previous denial to appear before the full commission at the next scheduled meeting, which is Jan. 8," Kizer said. "It will be his burden to prove to commissioners that he should be granted a license to compete in Nevada. After hearing all relevant evidence, the commission will have the option to deny the license, grant the license unconditionally, or grant the license with conditions."

Overeem's license was denied earlier this year after he tested positive for an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio, which was indicative of exogenous testosterone in his system. He explained at a hearing that he had been injected with a drug cocktail for an injury, but didn't know it contained testosterone. The commission opted to reduce the standard year-long denial to nine months, but Overeem will still have to convince the commission to license him for the Feb. 2 event in Las Vegas.

Penick's Analysis: I'd imagine he's not going to have much of an issue getting licensed for the UFC 156 event, but it will probably come with some conditions. He'll probably be required to submit to more testing into the event, as well as after the event, and failure to do so will either take him out of the event, or lead to a retroactive change in whatever outcome happens at UFC 156.

[Alistair Overeem art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_15429.shtml

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