Veteran bantamweight Mitch Gagnon has signed with the UFC and will debut in an undercard match-up against Johnny Bedford at UFC on Fox 2. Promotion officials confirmed the signing on Wednesday.
Bedford's original opponent, Eddie Wineland, withdrew from the card earlier this week after suffering an undisclosed injury in training camp. Wineland was originally slated to meet Demetrious Johnson, however Johnson scratched himself from the bout in order to participate in the UFC's inaugural flyweight tournament at UFC on FX 2.
Gagnon (8-1), a 27-year-old prospect out of Ontario, Canada, enters the UFC after a six-fight tear through regional promotions. A jiu-jitsu specialist, all eight of the Team Shredder product's wins have come by way of submission, with five arriving via guillotine choke. He last fought in October, where he finished David Harris with a guillotine two minutes into the first round.
Meanwhile, the announcement marks a quick turnaround for Bedford (18-9-1), a 28-year-old veteran who recently competed on The Ultimate Fighter 14. "Brutal" suffered a devastating knockout loss to eventual season winner John Dodson in the show's semi-finals, but rebounded with a destruction of Louis Gaudinot at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale.
UFC on Fox 2 is slated for January 28, 2012 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Three high-profile contender matches headline the network broadcast -- Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, Mark Munoz vs. Chael Sonnen, and Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia.
UFC on Fox 2 fight card:
Light heavyweight: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Middleweight: Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz
Middleweight: Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia
Bantamweight: Johnny Bedford vs. Mitch Gagnon
Lightweight: Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Heavyweight: John Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
Lightweight: Cody McKenzie vs. Michael Johnson
Featherweight: George Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Featherweight: Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Middleweight: Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Heavyweight: Lavar Johnson vs. Joey Beltran