Tyron Spong evidently liked what he heard from Eagle Fighting Championship, which coaxed him into returning to mixed martial arts after more than an eight-year absence.
The decorated kickboxer will step into the cage opposite Bellator MMA, Pride Fighting Championships and Strikeforce veteran Sergei Kharitonov in the EFC 44 headliner on Friday at the FLX Arena in Miami. Meanwhile, former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Rashad Evans comes out of retirement to confront Gabriel Checco in the three-round co-main event at 205 pounds.