Pawel Nastula, a 1996 Judo Olympic gold medalist who announced his retirement after a loss and failed drug test at Pride 32: The Real Deal, will return to competition to face Yang Dong Yi at World Victory Road's upcoming event.

WVR today announced the Aug. 24 bout, which will be part of WVR's World Victory Road: Sengoku 4 event at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

It'll be Nastula's first MMA fight in nearly two years.

Nastula, 38, is one of the world's most accomplished Judokas, but he had a rough going in MMA, winning just one of four pro bouts (all in PRIDE). However, all of his losses came to stand-out fighters, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Aleksander Emelianenko and Josh Barnett. After the loss to Barnett, he tested positive for an anabolic steroid and banned stimulants and was suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Yi, meanwhile, has posted TKO victories in both his pro MMA bouts, which took place in the DEEP organization. Neither fight went past the first round.

World Victory Road: Sengoku 4 also features WVR's 2008 lightweight grand prix. Among the eight participants are Cage Force lightweight champ Mizuto Hirota, IFL lightweight title-holder Ryan Schultz, and former DEEP lightweight champ Kazunori Yokota.

The full card now includes:

REGULAR BOUTS

Takanori Gomi vs. Bang Seung Hwan
Makoto Takimoto vs. Frank Trigg
Peter Graham vs. Moise Rimbon
Pawel Nastula vs. Yang Dong Yi

LIGHTWEIGHT GRAND PRIX, FIRST ROUND

Clay French vs. Satoru Kitaoka
Rodrigo Damm vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Bojan Kosednar vs. Kazunori Yokota
Mizuto Hirota vs. Ryan Schultz

Source: mmajunkie.com