UFC middleweight – and recent welterweight – Kelvin Gastelum needs some good news in order to fight Tim Kennedy, and quickly.

The New York State Athletic Commission hasn’t given Gastelum a date for a hearing on his appeal of a six-month suspension. According to the Ontario Athletic Commission, his record has to be clear to fight at UFC 206.

“The OAC honors all suspensions by members of the Association of Boxing Commissions,” Denelle Balfour, a spokesperson for the commission, wrote today in an email to MMAjunkie.

Gastelum’s (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) suspension by the NYSAC created a ripple effect for the bout with Kennedy (18-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC), which was announced by the UFC as pending commission approval. Because the New York and Ontario commissions both belong to the ABC, if a fighter is suspended in one jurisdiction, it’s understood he won’t fight in another.

“The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner expressed confidence that he will be cleared.

“What we’re trying to do is get the suspension lifted, and that’s what my team is working for right now,” Gastelum told MMAjunkie. “News should be coming soon this week.”

The NYSAC’s suspension was a surprise move. Usually, fighters are not suspended for no-showing weigh-ins. Gastelum announced beforehand he wouldn’t make weight for a welterweight bout with Donald Cerrone. It was his fourth weight issue in the 170-pound division.

The commission wasn’t as forgiving about the matter, however. Gastelum appealed the decision, which leaves him waiting to go before the NYSAC.

As of Monday afternoon, Gastelum hasn’t been scheduled. In an email to MMAjunkie, NYSAC spokesperson Laz Benitez confirmed Gastelum had submitted a request for a hearing, but has not received a date.

Asked whether the fighter would go before the commission prior to Dec. 10, when UFC 206 takes place at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Benitez simply reiterated, “A hearing date has not been set yet.”

Gastelum volunteered to fight at UFC 206 after Kennedy lost a second booking against ex-light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans at the event. Although the promotion announced the matchup was conditional, he indicated on Twitter that there wouldn’t be any issues.

“There’s always something y’all don’t know,” he wrote.

Gastelum declined to explain his tweet, saying the information would be released after he is cleared to fight. He indicated he wasn’t aware of a clause in Ontario’s rulebook that suggested a workaround if he provided a valid license in another jurisdiction, such as in Nevada, where he fought in July at UFC 200.

Whatever ace is up his sleeve, he should probably use it soon. The Ontario commission said it has yet to receive a bout proposal for the fight.

For more on UFC 206, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.