“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.
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:
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.
