UFC officials announced today that Canadian Mitch Gagnon (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is unable to cross into the U.S. for a fight with Johnny Bedford (18-9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), forcing the promotion to scrap the booking at UFC on FOX 2.
A heavyweight bout between Joey Beltran (13-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and newcomer Lavar Johnson (15-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has subsequently been added to the event’s six-bout preliminary card broadcast, which airs on FUEL TV.
UFC on FOX 2 takes place Saturday at Chicago’s United Center. A three-bout main card airs live on FOX.
Gagnon, who hails from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, was a replacement for Eddie Wineland (18-8-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC), who was forced to withdraw from the event with a knee injury. Wineland was initially slated to face onetime bantamweight title challenger Demetrious Johnson before the UFC announced a championship flyweight tournament set for UFC on FX 2 in Australia.
All of Gagnon’s career wins have come via submission (five via guillotine choke). His lone defeat came via decision in 2009 to William Romero, who later went on to fight in Bellator.
Bedford, who was knocked out of the “TUF 14” bantamweight semifinals by eventual show winner John Dodson, returned earlier this month on the undercard of the show’s live finale, where he scored a vicious third-round TKO beatdown of fellow cast member Louis Gaudinot. The onetime Bellator fighter is now 7-1 over his past eight pro fights, and five of the wins came via stoppage.
It’s unknown whether Gagnon vs. Bedford will be rescheduled for a later date.
With the late change to the schedule, the UFC on FOX 2 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (FOX)
- Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans
- Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen
- Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)
- Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
- Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
- Jon Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
- George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
- Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
- Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
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