After nearly 40 pro fights, including 15 official bouts in the UFC, Tim Means is sticking around the promotion a while longer.

The veteran welterweight posted on his Facebook page late Tuesday that he had just signed a new five-fight contract with the UFC and said he’s “excited for 2018.”

It hasn’t been the easiest last year for Means (27-9-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC). He will be hoping to bounce back when he gets booked again in the new year. A month ago in Australia, he dropped a split decision to Belal Muhammad. That gave him two setbacks in his past three fights.

Nearly a year ago at UFC 207, his fight with Alex Oliveira ended in a no-contest when he landed a pair of illegal knees. Oliveira couldn’t continue. They rematched two and a half months later in Brazil, where Oliveira submitted Means in the second round.

Means bounced back with a decision over Alex Garcia in June, but then had the loss to Muhammad in Australia to cap off a rough yearlong stretch.

Prior to that, though, “The Dirty Bird” was one of the hottest things going in the UFC’s welterweight division. After going 2-2 in his first stint with the promotion, he picked up a pair of wins under the Legacy FC banner, then returned and dropped a fight to Neil Magny. But after that, he went on a 6-1 tear.

His big seven-fight stretch included a pair of performance bonuses for a knockout of Dhiego Lima at UFC 184 and a knockout of John Howard at UFC Fight Night 80. He had four finishes in those six wins, and the lone setback in that seven-fight stretch came against Matt Brown.

But coming off a loss headed into 2018, Means no doubt will be hoping to reinvent himself and establish himself again as a contender at 170 pounds. Now he’s got the confidence of a new contract to push him in that direction.

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

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