UFC lightweight contender T.J. Grant, whose title hopes were delayed when he suffered a concussion during a 2013 training session, could return to the cage as soon as this fall.

The 30-year-old Canadian today discussed his plans during a UFC Fight Night 54 kickoff press conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Grant (21-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) won’t be part of the Oct. 4 card, but if all goes to plan, his long-awaited return bout could happen soon after.

“It’s definitely been a challenging year for me,” he said today. “I’m near the end of it, and I’m looking forward to resuming my career soon. I hope to be ready to fight this fall.”

After a 3-3 run as a UFC welterweight, Grant dropped to the lightweight division in 2011 and posted five consecutive victories, earning a pair of fight-night bonuses in the process. The wins, which came over the likes of Evan Dunham and Gray Maynard, have earned Grant the No. 4 ranking in the current USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings.

They also earned Grant a title shot against then-champ Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in August 2013. However, after suffering a concussion, he was pulled from the bout. Then, a planned December 2013 title fight with new champ Anthony Pettis was scrapped when Grant said he still wasn’t medically cleared to fight.

As the recovery process dragged on, he told MMAjunkie that fan criticism was increasing.

“At first, (it was) just people questioning me like that, and originally I was pretty upset,” Grant told MMAjunkie.com in September 2013. “Just like, ‘Oh yeah, suck it up.’ I actually had a couple people say things like, ‘I played football with a concussion,’ and I was just like, well, you’re an idiot.”

For now, it appears Grant’s promised title shot has been rescinded. In late 2013, UFC President Dana White said the fighter, who’s been on the sidelines for the past 15 months, will likely need to win another fight before he gets a shot at the belt.

Grant, though, said he’s just happy to be back. He can’t give a definitive time table for his return, but things are looking promising, he said today.

“I’m really close, and I still can’t put a percentage or a timetable (on it), but I’m optimistic, and I feel confident going forward,” he said.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.