Alistair Overeem was allowed to return from a nine-month drug ban as the Nevada State Athletic Commission unanimously approved his license to fight at a hearing in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Overeem — who was suspended after a random test conducted by the NSAC in March showed elevated testosterone levels — is slated to resume his career in the Octagon at UFC 156 on Feb. 2. Overeem faces Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva with the winner expected to get a title shot against heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.
"We've done everything we can to correct the errors," Overeem told the board members.
The NSAC conducted tests of Overeem in November and December. Both came back negative. A complicating factor in testing was reaching Overeem in his native Netherlands, a barrier one NSAC board member said needed to be looked into.
Earlier in the regular monthly hearing, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira had his license approved to fight Rashad Evans in another UFC 156 undercard bout. Nogueira, who is 36, had to seek permission to fight since he was older than 35.
