Photo via Sherdog.com
Former WEC bantamweight champ Eddie Wineland was forced to pull out of next months UFC on FOX 2 show due to injury, leaving the UFC just one month to find a replacement to face Johny ‘Brutal’ Bedford (18-9-1).
On Wednesday, UFC officials named Canadian bantamweight Mitch Gagnon (8-1) as Wineland’s replacement, posting the news on UFC.com.
With Eddie Wineland sidelined, one of Canada’s very best bantamweights, Mitch Gagnon, has stepped in to fill the spot against Johnny Bedford at the UFC on Fox event January 28th in Chicago. Verbal agreements are in for the bout between Bedford, a TUF 14 standout, and the 8-1 Gagnon, who will look to extend his six-fight win streak.
UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis (aka UFC on Fox 2) is scheduled to take place on January 28, 2012 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The event features three high profile matches with No. 1 contender bout in the light heavyweight division between Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, as well as a No. 1 contender match at middleweight between Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz, and finally a middleweight match between Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia.
Bedford appeared on “The Ultimate Fighter” season fourteen fighting as a bantamweight for Team Mayhem. He was eliminated in the semi-finals and would then go on to debut at the “TUF 14 Finale” against cast mate Louis Gaudinot. ‘Brutal’ finished Gaudinot by third round TKO for his first UFC win and his second straight, putting Bedford’s record at 7-1 in his last eight.
Gagnon (pictured) comes from Ontario with eight submission wins under his belt, seven of which have ended in the first round. The Canadian has used a guillotine choke five times, including in his last win, a first round victory over David Harris at a Ringside MMA event in Montreal this past October. This fight will be the first time Gagnon has fought outside of Canada.