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[BonesKnows]

UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem today applied for a license to fight in Nevada in 2013, an official told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps).

But before he is given the green light, he will need to appear before the state's athletic commission, which will weigh several options before making a decision.

"He will be required per his previous denial to appear before the full commission at the next scheduled meeting, which is Jan. 8," Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer told MMAjunkie.com.

Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is scheduled to meet Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva (17-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at UFC 156, which takes place Feb. 2 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. But he is not a shoo-in for the booking, which puts him on the night's pay-per-view main card.

"It will be his burden to prove to commissioners that he should be granted a license to compete in Nevada," Kizer said. "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."

Thus far, Overeem has met all those ends. In 2007, he was licensed to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at PRIDE 33. Four years later, he received a conditional license to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. But it was his most recent dealing with the commission that temporarily sapped his career.

One month before Overeem's title fight against champ Junior Dos Santos in May at UFC 146, the NSAC denied him a license when a pre-fight drug test turned up with a severely elevated level of testosterone. The fighter said he unknowingly took a concoction that contained the hormone while attempting to recover from an injury. Although drawing sympathy from some commissioners, he was nonetheless barred from reapplying until today.

The denial was another blow to Overeem's image as a clean athlete. Prior to the Lesnar fight, he missed a pre-fight drug test, and said he was unaware of it and had to leave the country to care for his sick mother. Upon granting him the conditional license, the commission required him to undergo a total of four drug tests to fulfill its terms.

It's possible at the Jan. 8 hearing that additional testing could be ordered for Overeem should he be licensed.

Overeem, who retired ex-UFC champ Lesnar with a first-round TKO win, repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Suspension is officially over as of today all he has to do now is get a license (which shouldnt be a problem), let me be the first to welcome back the next Heavyweight Champ in the UFC

[SOOFNUN]

Overseen is almost turning into the next Rumble for me. Every single fight he is scheduled for, I'm left wondering if he will actually be allowed to fight. I hope he takes this all seriously but I can't say I have much confidence that he is.

Fingers crossed.....

[Pasha K]

Originally Posted by BonesKnows

let me be the first to welcome back the next Heavyweight Champ in the UFC

Yeah, now we only have to wait JDS and Cain to retire.

[Lesnar_FTW]

I still really want to see JDS/Overeem so hopefully everything goes the way it needs to for that fight to happen.

[BonesKnows]

Originally Posted by Pasha K

Yeah, now we only have to wait JDS and Cain to retire.

Only time will tell, once JDS beats cain and Overeem runs through Bigfoot we'll get to find out who is right.

Sig bet?

[Pasha K]

Ok, if JDS beats Cain and Overeem beats Bigfoot, I will sig bet you for a JDS-Overeem match.

[disposableassassin]

Yeah I'm taking JDS by KO myself, if that fight happens. I'd take Cain over the reem as well.

[Repenter]

so it's safe to bet that after overeem ruins bigfoot, he'll be fighting for the title in 3 months, right?

i've been waiting for him to fulfill his potential for a long time. let's hope he doesn't fuck it up. even his doubters are curious of what he's actually capable of.

[Bork_Lazer]

Originally Posted by BonesKnows

Only time will tell, once JDS beats cain and Overeem runs through Bigfoot we'll get to find out who is right.

Sig bet?

Im new and have never done a sig bet before. I think Overeem is tremendously overrated and would be willing to bet that Bigfoot cuts his road to the title a bit short. Now, I dont want to get carried away here, this is a pretty generous bet given Bigfoot is fresh off two loses, so can we make it a one month long sig bet?

you in?

[BonesKnows]

Originally Posted by Bork_Lazer

Im new and have never done a sig bet before. I think Overeem is tremendously overrated and would be willing to bet that Bigfoot cuts his road to the title a bit short. Now, I dont want to get carried away here, this is a pretty generous bet given Bigfoot is fresh off two loses, so can we make it a one month long sig bet?

you in?

You are offering me Overeem over BigFoot? I'll take that bet all day. You got youself a sig bet my dude