“Lock Jaw” isn’t messing around.
Fresh off his breakout win at UFC Vegas 110, Heavyweight-turned Middleweight Donte Johnson is stepping in on just four days’ notice to face Jackson McVey this weekend (Sat., Nov. 8, 2025) at UFC Vegas 111, inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The short-notice clash will take place at a 190-pound catchweight after McVey’s original opponent, Robert Valentin, withdrew due to a back injury.
Wristlock MMA was first to report the news.
Johnson (7-0) made an instant impression
in his Octagon debut last weekend, submitting Sedriques Dumas in the second round (watch highlights) — just two months after earning his UFC contract on Contender Series as a Heavyweight.
Now settled in at Middleweight — and possibly eyeing a future at Welterweight — the 26-year-old former college football player is making an ultra-rare seven-day turnaround. “Lockjaw” has finished all seven of his opponents, including six first-round knockouts.
McVey (6-1) has had a chaotic start to his UFC career. He was originally set to face Dumas at UFC 317 on short notice, only for opponent changes and a weigh-in mishap to derail the matchup. He finally made his debut 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 battle that promises fireworks: both men own 100 percent finish rates, with McVey boasting three knockouts and three submissions, all coming inside the first round.
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. Donte Johnson
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.
