Nevada Commission Licenses UFC’s Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen Following TRT Ban

Dan Henderson has been cleared for his UFC 173 bout. | Gleidson Venga/Sherdog.com

Nevada Athletic Commission officials Tuesday voted unanimously to approve the applications of Henderson and Sonnen, both of whom received TRT exemptions in the past.

Henderson, 43, is slated to lock horns with Daniel Cormier in the co-main event of UFC 173, which takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Hendo” halted a three-fight skid in March, when he knocked out Mauricio Rua in their UFC Fight Night headliner in Brazil.

Sonnen has not competed since Nov. 16, when he was stopped by Rashad Evans in a one-sided UFC 167 duel. The 37-year-old is currently being featured opposite Wanderlei Silva as a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3,” and Sonnen is expected to clash with “The Axe Murderer” on July 5 at UFC 175, which takes place at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Nevada drastically changed the TRT landscape on Feb. 27, when the commission unanimously voted to ban the therapy in boxing and mixed martial arts contests held in the state. The Ultimate Fighting Championship then followed suit, as did the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission, with Henderson receiving the regulatory body’s final TRT exemption prior to his fight with “Shogun.” California also banned TRT until stringent World Anti-Doping Agency standards could be put into place.