NSAC grants Vitor Belfort conditional license to fight Chris Weidman at UFC 181 on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Vitor Belfort has been cleared to return to the Octagon following his failed drug test back in February, which required "The Phenom" to purge his body of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) before challenging for the 185-pound strap.

The verdict was handed down earlier today (Weds., July 23, 2014) during his administrative hearing with Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), which aired online via UFC Fight Pass (live blog and updates here).

And the commission promised to drug test him (blood and urine) "until the day he retires" at his expense.

Belfort is widely-expected to get the next crack at UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who recently disposed of Lyoto Machida in the UFC 175 main event over Fourth of July Weekend (highlights). Prior to his drug testing woes, "The Phenom" had compiled a three-fight winning streak, one that included three knockout finishes.

Those wins, however, took place in Brazil while Belfort was on the gear.

The Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) insisted he was playing by the rules, but not everyone in the division was convinced. Not that it has stopped UFC President Dana White from asking Weidman to strap on his belt and head south for the winter.

But based on today's hearing, that scenario sounds unlikely.

That's because the Brazilian told commissioners that he would not compete in any other location -- including Brazil -- until he first fights in Las Vegas, most likely on the promotion's UFC 181 pay-per-view (PPV) card on Dec. 6, 2014, in order to honor their decision to grant him a license to fight.

Expect an official announcement on "Weidman vs. Belfort" in the coming days.