UFC Fight Night 31 Weigh-In Results: Tim Kennedy, Rafael Natal Given Green Light

Tim Kennedy wanted Lyoto Machida. He settled for Rafael Natal.

Kennedy tipped the scales at 186 pounds for his showdown with Gracie Fusion’s Natal (185.5) in the UFC Fight Night 31 “Fight for the Troops 3” main event on Wednesday at Fort Campbell in Hopkinsville, Ky. Women’s bantamweight co-headliners Liz Carmouche (135) and Alexis Davis (134) also met their contracted weight requirements at Tuesday’s official weigh-in.

A black belt in Japanese jiu-jitsu and the Modern Army Combatives Program, Kennedy was originally slated to face Lyoto Machida before an eye injury sustained by Michael Bisping led Ultimate Fighting Championship officials to shift “The Dragon” to UFC Fight Night 30. The 34-year-old has won eight of his last 10 bouts and made his Octagon debut at UFC 162 in July, when he took a unanimous decision from Brazilian jiu-jitsu savant Roger Gracie. Victories over former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler, Dutch knockout artist Melvin Manhoef and the American Kickboxing Academy’s Trevor Prangley anchor the 20-fight Kennedy resume.

Natal will enter the cage on a three-fight winning streak. The 30-year-old Brazilian last fought at UFC Fight Night 28 in September, when he captured a unanimous verdict over “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 alum Tor Troeng in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Natal has quietly compiled a 5-2-1 mark since arriving in the UFC in 2010.

UFC Fight Night 31 -- which airs on Fox Sports 1 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT -- will also feature a middleweight tilt pitting 2000 Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero Palacio (185.5) against Ronny Markes (185.5) and a pair of lightweight scraps, as American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal (155.5) meets the once-beaten Rustam Khabilov (155) and Michael Chiesa (156) faces fellow “Ultimate Fighter” winner Colton Smith (155.5).

Two hours prior, Fox Sports 1 will carry four preliminary bouts: James Krause (155.5) vs. Bobby Green (155), George Roop (135.5) vs. Francisco Rivera (136), Dennis Bermudez (146) vs. Steven Siler (146) and Germaine de Randamie (136) vs. Amanda Nunes (136). The four remaining undercard matchups will stream live to the UFC’s Facebook page at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT: Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Lorenz Larkin (185), Yves Edwards (156) vs. Yancy Medeiros (156), Neil Magny (171) vs. Seth Baczynski (171) and Derek Brunson (186) vs. Brian Houston (185).

UFC Fight Night 31 ‘Fight for the Troops 3’ Weigh-In Results:

Tim Kennedy (186) vs. Rafael Natal (185.5)
Liz Carmouche (135) vs. Alexis Davis (134)
Yoel Romero Palacio (185.5) vs. Ronny Markes (185.5)
Jorge Masvidal (155.5) vs. Rustam Khabilov (155)
Michael Chiesa (156) vs. Colton Smith (155.5)
James Krause (155.5) vs. Bobby Green (155)
George Roop (135.5) vs. Francisco Rivera (136)
Dennis Bermudez (146) vs. Steven Siler (146)
Germaine de Randamie (136) vs. Amanda Nunes (136)
Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Lorenz Larkin (185)
Yves Edwards (156) vs. Yancy Medeiros (156)
Neil Magny (171) vs. Seth Baczynski (171)
Derek Brunson (186) vs. Brian Houston (185)