A Canadian and a Russian will go to war at UFC London this March.
After hinting recently on social media that he had a fight announcement coming, Canada’s Kajan Johnson does indeed have a fight set. Johnson confirmed the news Friday via his official Podcast, The Ragin’ MMA Podcast, following an early report by The Sports Journal’s Farah Hannoun. The Canadian will face Russia’s Rustam Khabilov at UFC London, otherwise known as UFC Fight Night 127.
The Ragin' MMA Podcast can confirm our host @IamRagin will compete against @RustamTheTiger at #UFCFightNightLondon pic.twitter.com/cZ9f3Knqh9
— Ragin' MMA Podcast (@RaginMMAPodcast) January 5, 2018
For Johnson (22–12–1), the bout will be just his second since September 2015. After a lengthy absence due to injury, he caused a stir at last year’s UFC athlete’s retreat when he spoke out about fighter pay. It seems, at least, that his voice was heard, and he was able to get back in the cage in September, defeating Adriano Martins by knockout at UFC 215. Johnson, with a handful of knockout losses on his record, has also been vocal about retirement should he be finished via KO/TKO again.
Johnson was eliminated in The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia semi-final by eventual winner Chad Laprise in 2014. Since then, he has gone 3-1 in his UFC tenure, losing to Tae Hyun Bang in his promotional debut in 2014, but winning each fight since.
Khabilov (22–3), meanwhile, has won five straight, most recently earning a unanimous decision over Des Green at UFC Rotterdam in September. Both fighters have put their time in in the sport, and have faced championship caliber opponents: Khabilov headlined UFC Fight Night 42 opposite Benson Henderson, while earlier in his career, Johnson squared off against Rory MacDonald outside the UFC.
UFC Fight Night 127 takes place on March 3 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
