Lavar Johnson facts for kids

Lavar Johnson (born June 11, 1977) is an American bare-knuckle boxer and a former heavyweight mixed martial artist. He competed professionally from 2004 to 2014. During his career, he fought in major organizations like the UFC, the WEC, Strikeforce, and Bellator MMA.

About Lavar Johnson

Lavar Johnson grew up in Madera, California. He was a talented football player at Madera High School, where his coach gave him the nickname "Black Superman." He continued to play football in college at Merced College as a linebacker and strong safety. Before becoming a professional mixed martial artist, Johnson competed in "Toughman Contests," which are fighting competitions.

Mixed Martial Arts Career

Lavar Johnson had an exciting career in mixed martial arts, known for his powerful punches.

Fighting in the WEC

Johnson started his professional mixed martial arts journey in the WEC on January 16, 2004. His first fight was a loss to Doug Marshall. Johnson then quickly showed his strength, winning his next fight by TKO (Technical Knockout) with punches. He also knocked out Fred Diaz at WEC 11: Evolution.

After winning two more fights outside the WEC, he returned to face Corey Salter at WEC 17: Halloween Fury 4, winning in the first round. In his last WEC fight, he lost to Brian Olsen due to a knee injury. After this injury, Johnson took a break from fighting. He returned to the sport after about two and a half years. He then won his next four fights, all by stopping his opponents in the first round. This impressive streak led him to sign with Strikeforce.

Fighting in Strikeforce

Lavar Johnson made a memorable debut in Strikeforce against Carl Seumanutafa at Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina. He knocked out Seumanutafa with a powerful punch just 18 seconds into the first round.

He later faced Lolohea Mahe at Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe, winning by TKO with punches in the second round. Johnson continued his winning streak by knocking out Virgil Zwicker in the first round at Strikeforce Challengers: Bowling vs. Voelker.

Johnson also competed in a special tournament match, where he lost to Shane Del Rosario by submission. His next fight was against Shawn Jordan at Strikeforce Challengers: Larkin vs. Rossborough, which he lost by submission. After this, he took time off to recover from injuries to his elbow and knee.

Fighting in the UFC

Lavar Johnson joined the UFC and made his debut on January 28, 2012. He defeated Joey Beltran with a first-round knockout at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis. This impressive win earned him the Knockout of the Night bonus award.

Just over three months later, Johnson had his second UFC fight, where he defeated Pat Barry by TKO in the first round at UFC on Fox 3. This earned him his second Knockout of the Night bonus in a row.

Johnson then stepped in on short notice to fight Stefan Struve at UFC 146, but he lost by submission in the first round. He was scheduled to fight Brendan Schaub in December 2012, but an injury forced him to withdraw. The fight eventually happened on February 23, 2013, at UFC 157, where Johnson lost by decision.

Fighting in Bellator MMA

After his time in the UFC, Johnson signed with Bellator MMA. He debuted on October 4, 2013, against Vinicius Queiroz at Bellator 102. He was stopped by a punch very early in the fight.

Johnson returned to Bellator in March 2014 for the Bellator Season Ten Heavyweight Tournament. He won his first fight against Ryan Martinez by knockout in the first round at Bellator 111. In the semifinals, he faced Blagoy Ivanov at Bellator 116 and lost by submission. Johnson's last fight in Bellator was against Cheick Kongo on September 5, 2014, at Bellator 123, where he lost by submission.

Bare-Knuckle Boxing Career

After his mixed martial arts career, Lavar Johnson began competing in bare-knuckle boxing.

Valor Bare Knuckle

On September 21, 2019, Johnson returned to professional fighting in bare-knuckle boxing. He defeated former UFC fighter James McSweeney by TKO in the first round at Valor Bare Knuckle 1. He also won his second fight in Valor Bare Knuckle against Travis Wiuff in October 2023.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Johnson was scheduled to fight in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in November 2024. His opponents changed, and he eventually faced Anthony Garrett at BKFC Fight Night: Los Angeles. Johnson lost this fight by knockout in the first round.

Achievements and Awards

• War Gods MMA
  • War Gods Heavyweight Championship (One time)
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Knockout Of The Night (Two times)