Denied.
Heavyweight-turned Middleweight Donte Johnson — fresh off winning his UFC debut last weekend — was expected to step in on short notice to fight Jackson McVey at UFC Vegas 111 this weekend (Sat.,
Nov. 8, 2025), replacing Robert Valentin. However, that is no longer happening.
Johnson was not cleared by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) due to a mandatory two-week medical suspension stemming from his submission win over Sedriques Dumas (watch highlights).
While Johnson’s rapid turnaround has been halted, McVey will remain on the card. The promotion has rebooked him against Zachary Reese, per a report from MMA Fighting.
McVey (6-1) has endured a turbulent start to his UFC career. Originally scheduled to face Dumas at UFC 317, opponent changes and a weigh-in mishap derailed his debut. He finally made it to the Octagon at UFC 318, where he was submitted by Brunno Ferreira in under four minutes — the first loss of his professional career.
Now, the 26-year-old finisher looks to rebound in a matchup that promises violence, as both fighters boast 100 percent finish rates. McVey owns three knockouts and three submissions, all coming in the first round.
Reese (9-2), meanwhile, will make his fourth Octagon appearance of 2025. The Texan is coming off a disappointing “No Contest” against Dumas at Noche UFC 3 after an accidental low blow ended the bout in under a minute. Before that, he earned a unanimous decision win over Dusko Todorovic and opened his year with a knockout loss to Azamat Bekoev (watch highlights).
Reese is 3-2 inside the Octagon and will look to close out 2025 on a high note.
Here is the updated UFC Vegas 111 lineup:
- Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown
- Matt Schnell vs. Joseph Morales
- Uros Medic vs. Muslim Salikhov
- Ismael Bonfim vs. Chris Padilla
- Raoni Barcelos vs. Ricky Simon
- Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Marco Tulio
- Hyder Amil vs. Jamall Emmers
- Adrian Yanez vs. TBA
- Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
- Josh Hokit vs. Max Gimenis
- Luana Santos vs. Daria Zhelezniakova
- Miles Johns vs. Daniel Marcos
- Denise Gomes vs. Tecia Pennington
- Jackson McVey vs. Zachary Reese
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 111 fight card, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 7 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 111: “Bonfim vs. Brown” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
