Even though he didn’t advance to the live finale of TUF Nations, Kajan Johnson made an impact on Canadian MMA fans and will get a shot in the UFC.
The Tristar Gym product will face Tae Hyun Bang in a lightweight bout at UFC 174 in Vancouver on June 14.
Johnson (19-10-1) has been a veteran of the Canadian MMA scene since 2002 and is regarded as a fan favourite. He submitted Brendan O’Reilly in the quarterfinals on TUF Nations before being knocked out violently by Chad Laprise in the semifinals, resulting in his jaw being broken in three places.
Johnson holds notable wins over Ryan Healy, Richie Whitson, Douglas Evans and is 13-2-1 in his last 15 pro bouts — one of those losses was to current teammate Rory MacDonald.
Bang (16-8) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Mairbek Taisumov in his UFC debut in January.
The Rogers Arena event, which is the promotion’s first trip to British Columbia in three years, is headlined by a flyweight title bout between Demetrious Johnson and Ali Bagautinov. MacDonald, a native of B.C., is also featured on the card in a fight with fellow welterweight contender Tyron Woodley.
UFC 174 card to date:
— Demetrious Johnson vs Ali Bagautinov
— Rory MacDonald vs Tyron Woodley
— Mike Easton vs Yves Jabouin
— Roland Delorme vs Michinori Tanaka
— Kajan Johnson vs Tae Hyun Bang
— Kiichi Kunimoto vs Daniel Sarafian
