Michael Johnson has been on the UFC roster since 2010. | Getty/UFC
Michael Johnson’s manager has released a statement regarding the cancellation of his fighter’s fight at UFC 324.Johnson was scheduled to face Alexander Hernandez on January 31 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, the lightweight bout was scrapped just hours before the event when online oddsmakers flagged the fight due to irregular betting patterns. Both UFC athletes have been quiet since then, but
Dave Martin released a statement Yahoo! Sport on behalf of Johnson. The manager did not specify what might have caused the fight to attract that kind of attention.
Hoping to be rebooked
“We were obviously disappointed by the cancellation as Michael had an excellent training camp and was fully prepared to compete,” said Martin. “That said, we understand and respect the UFC’s responsibility to protect the integrity of the sport. In the current environment, especially with the growth of regulated sports betting and increased scrutiny in professional sports, these matters must be taken seriously. We appreciate the UFC’s open communication throughout the process and our focus now is on working with them to get Michael rebooked as quickly as possible.”At the UFC 324 post-fight press conference, promotion CEO Dana White confirmed that no risks were being taken with the fight following concerns over suspicious gambling activity surrounding a match between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier Del Valle last November.
“It is. It happened again,” White said. “We got a call from gaming integrity and I said I wouldn’t do this again. We stopped fighting.”
Johnson is the runner-up on Season 15 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and has been on the UFC roster since 2010. ‘The Menace’ has compiled a 16-15 record during his tenure and is currently in the midst of a three-match winning streak.
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