Johnny Bedford
Canadian bantamweight makes UFC debut in January
With Eddie Wineland out of his fight against Johnny Bedford with a training injury, promotional newcomer Mitch Gagnon will step in on short notice.
The UFC announced the Gagnon signing Wednesday and the fight against Bedford, which will take place Jan. 28 on the preliminary card of UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis at the United Center in Chicago.
Gagnon (8-1) has won six straight fights – all by submission. And all eight of his career victories have come by submission, with seven coming in the first round.
Bedford (18-9-1, 1-0 UFC), a competitor on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter” this past fall, won his UFC debut earlier this month with a third-round TKO against housemate Louis Gaudinot at the TUF 14 Finale. The Ohio native was eliminated in the TUF semifinals against eventual bantamweight winner John Dodson.
UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis features a main event light heavyweight fight between former champion Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, a co-main event middleweight contenders bout between Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz and a middleweight fight between Michael Bisping and Demian Maia. It will be the UFC’s second card on the Fox network, but the first under the seven-year broadcast deal that starts in 2012.