Lavar Johnson to replace Mark Hunt – UFC News
Mark Hunt, who has been injured and can no longer compete on May 26, will be replaced by heavyweight Lavar Johnson for UFC 146. The event will be held in Las Vegas and Johnson will face Stefan Struve. Lavar Johnson has earned his reputation in the sport.
However, considering that this is a short-notice fight, Lavar is still shaky about it.
Johnson currently holds 17 wins and 5 losses in the sport. His last bout was against Pat Barry on May 5, in which he knocked out Barry in the first round. Due to Mark’s knee injury, he is no longer able to compete in the event. Johnson, who has been a successful
fighter in Strikeforce, will now take Hunt’s place and face the tallest fighter in the industry.
When asked about him replacing Mark Hunt on the eleventh hour, Johnson said, “There was a little bit of hesitation. This is a big opportunity but if you don't gamble, you can't win. After my last fight, I took a week off, but I didn't barbecue and drink
beer like I usually do. After a week off I was back at it. I'm at the UFC level now. I wanted to stay sharp. I knew something would come up quick. I didn't know this quick. He's (Struve) tough. He's good on the ground. He's durable. I've watched a lot of his
fights. He takes a beating and he comes back to win. But I'm going to push the pace. He leaves himself open a lot, and I only need a few punches to land.”
It should be noted here that Johnson lost his last two fights under Strikeforce’s banner. Now, the hard-punching fighter is in the UFC, after a short notice offer from UFC officials. On the other hand, Struve has earned a reputation in the sport of being
one of the most vicious yet resilient pugilists. He is tall, which gives him an edge over most of his opponents. Struve last fought Dave Herman on February 15, and him knocked him out in the second round. He currently holds 23 wins and 5 losses in the sport.
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