Lavar Johnson

Background

Johnson is from Madera, California and was a star football player, attending Madera High School where a coach nicknamed Johnson "Black Superman." Johnson then continued his career excelling as an outside linebacker and strong safety at Merced Community College before playing at the semi-professional level. Johnson competed in Toughman Contests and dominated, leading him to transition into professional mixed martial arts.

World Extreme Cagefighting

Johnson made his professional mixed martial arts debut in the WEC on January 16, 2004, losing to future WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Doug Marshall via TKO (corner stoppage). The bout was somewhat marred by controversy as Johnson was on the receiving end of four low blows over the course of the bout, which was eventually stopped due to exhaustion on his part. Johnson had entered the bout without any training or preparation beyond hitting a heavy bag. He next defeated Levi Thornbrue via TKO (punches). He knocked out Fred Diaz with punches at WEC 11: Evolution. Johson then fought twice outside of WEC, winning both bouts via first round stoppage. He returned to face Corey Salter at WEC 17: Halloween Fury 4, making him submit to strikes in the first round. In Johnson's final WEC fight, he lost to the final WEC Heavyweight Champion Brian Olsen via submission due to a knee injury.

After the loss to Olsen, and because of the knee injury sustained during that loss, Johnson briefly left mixed martial arts to become a delivery driver for Budweiser. Johnson claimed that the cost of his medical expenses, coupled with his inability to train and fight, because of his injury, necessitated that he go get a "real" job. He returned to fighting after a two-and a-half year layoff, with a submission loss to Alijah Reni.

He went on to defeat his next four opponents via first round stoppage, before being signed by Strikeforce.

Strikeforce

Johnson made his Strikeforce debut against Carl Seumanutafa at Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina, knocking him out with a punch 18 seconds into the first round. Johnson knocked out Seumanutafa with an uppercut while Seumanutafa was going for a takedown.

Johnson was shot on July 4, 2009 while at a family reunion. Johnson was rumored to return to action at Strikeforce Challengers: Kaufman vs. Hashi, facing Lolohea Mahe. The match was instead moved to Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe, as the main event. Johnson won by TKO due to punches in the second round.

He next faced current Bellator fighter Virgil Zwicker at Strikeforce Challengers: Bowling vs. Voelker, knocking him out with punches in the first round.

Johnson fought in a Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament alternate match, submitting to Shane Del Rosario's armbar in the first round.

Johnson's next fight came against former Louisiana State University football player, Shawn Jordan at Strikeforce Challengers: Larkin vs. Rossborough. Johnson lost via submission to an americana in the second round. Afterwards, he took time off to heal injuries to his right elbow and left knee.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Johnson made his UFC debut on January 28, 2012, defeating Joey Beltran via first-round KO at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis. This earned him the Knockout of the Night bonus award.

Johnson returned just over three months later for his second UFC fight, defeating fan-favorite Pat Barry via first-round TKO at UFC on Fox 3. For this, he was awarded his second consecutive Knockout of the Night bonus.

Johnson replaced an injured Mark Hunt on ten days' notice and was defeated by Stefan Struve on the main card of UFC 146 via submission due to an armbar in the first round.

Johnson was expected to face Brendan Schaub on December 8, 2012 at UFC on Fox 5. However, Johnson was forced out of the bout with a groin injury and Schaub was pulled from the card altogether.

Johnson/Schaub eventually took place on February 23, 2013 at UFC 157. Johnson lost the fight via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27). Johnson was subsequently released from the organization after a post fight drug screening revealed elevated levels of testosterone. His fighting license was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission till November 23, 2013. Johnson admitted he was undergoing testosterone replacement therapy and had not disclosed this on his pre-fight medical questionnaire.

Bellator MMA

Following his release from the UFC, Johnson signed with Bellator MMA. He debuted on October 4, 2013, in the heavyweight tournament against Vinicius Queiroz at Bellator 102. In a surprising upset, Johnson was stopped by one punch just 23 seconds into the fight, marking the first time he had been knocked out in his career.

Johnson returned to the Bellator cage in March 2014 as a participant in the Bellator Season Ten Heavyweight Tournament. He faced Ryan Martinez in the opening round at Bellator 111 on March 7, 2014. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. Johnson faced Blagoy Ivanov in the semifinals at Bellator 116 on April 11, 2014. He lost the back-and-forth bout via submission in the first round.

Johnson faced Cheick Kongo on September 5, 2014 at Bellator 123. He lost the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

Personal life

Johnson has two sons.

In 2007, Johnson was sentenced to 14 days of jail and three years of probation as well as ordered to undergo alcohol counselling after pleading not guilty to a misdemeanor charges of corporal injury on a spouse/co-habitant. He was then jailed for 30 days for criminal threats and disobeying a domestic relations court order.

On July 5, 2009, at approximately midnight, Johnson was shot (along with four others, one fatally) at a family reunion in Bakersfield, California. According to reports released by the Bakersfield Police Department, a male in his late teens approached Johnson and the other victims as they were gathering in the front yard during a family reunion/Independence Day celebration and opened fire on the crowd at random, shooting five people. Johnson was shot in the hip, the forearm, and the third bullet fired at him hit his abdomen, which was the most serious injury. Johnson’s American Kickboxing Academy trainer, Bob Cook, told Sherdog.com shortly afterwards that Johnson was between serious and critical condition. Cook stated he believed Johnson had been struck twice, once in the abdomen and once in the chest. His appendix was removed and he could not eat or drink for a month after the surgery which sewed his stomach closed. In August 2009, Johnson was released from hospital, and was said to be doing well and hoping to return to training as soon as possible. A fifteen-year-old girl was later arrested in connection to the shooting. Johnson has a scar up and down his torso as a result of the surgery and his cousin, Anthony, who was from Jacksonville, Texas was the casualty.

On August 25, 2015, Johnson was arrested in Fresno, California and charged with corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and dissuading a witness by force. He had allegedly repeatedly punched, kneed and slammed his girlfriend on August 11, before fleeing the scene. He was in Fresno County Jail with bail set at $175,000. He pled not guilty to all charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years and eight months in prison. On April 29, 2016, Johnson was sentenced to five years in prison for the August 2015 assault.

Championships and accomplishments