Johnny Bedford-Mitch Gagnon Off UFC on Fox in Chicago

Lavar Johnson

Beltran-Johnson promoted to Fuel TV prelims

CHICAGO – A preliminary card fight for Saturday’s UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis has been scratched from the show thanks to border troubles for a fighter.

The bantamweight fight between Mitch Gagnon and Johnny Bedford had to be scrapped Wednesday when Gagnon, from Canada, reportedly was denied entrance to the United States. UFC officials announced the news, which now leaves the card with 10 total fights.

The Gagnon-Bedford fight had been scheduled for broadcast on Fuel TV. Instead, one of the two fights from the unaired prelims that are expected to stream on Facebook, a heavyweight bout between Joey Beltran and Lavar Johnson, will be moved to the Fuel portion of Saturday’s show.

Gagnon (8-1) was to be making his UFC debut. He was a replacement for Eddie Wineland, who had to drop out of of a fight against Bedford (18-9-1, 1-0 UFC) with a knee injury. Bedford was a replacement for Wineland’s original opponent, Demetrious Johnson, who dropped to the UFC’s new flyweight division to be part of a four-man field vying for the UFC’s first 125-pound title.

UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis takes place at the United Center in Chicago and is the UFC’s first visit to Chicago proper. It previously held UFC 90 in the northwest suburb of Rosemont. Saturday’s card features a three-fight “tripleheader” broadcast on Fox featuring a light heavyweight fight between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. The co-main event pits Chael Sonnen against Michael Bisping, with the winner advancing to meet Anderson Silva for the middleweight title this summer. And Demian Maia fights Chris Weidman in another middleweight fight.

The Fox broadcast begins at 8 p.m. Eastern. The six-fight Fuel TV prelims air at 5 p.m. Eastern.