RFA 15 Lineup Changes as Lightweight Dashon Johnson Heads to UFC

Resurrection Fighting Alliance has helped propel another fighter to the UFC Octagon—without the fighter even stepping inside the promotion’s cage. The MMA Corner has learned that unbeaten lightweight Dashon Johnson has been released from his RFA contract to sign with the sport’s top promotion.

Johnson, who also competes in boxing, was slated to face two-time taekwondo national champion James Moontasri on the RFA 15 main card on June 6. However, with Johnson’s call to the big show, Moontasri will now face off with Jordan Rinaldi in a 160-pound catchweight affair.

RFA 15 will take place from the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Culver City, Calif., and airs live on AXS TV. The night’s main event will be a middleweight clash between Kevin Casey and Andrew Sanchez. Casey and Sanchez will be battling for the promotion’s vacant 185-pound belt.

The UFC and Strikeforce veteran Casey is a BJJ black belt under Rickson Gracie. He has earned back-to-back wins under the RFA banner over Casey Ryan and Eddie Mendez to earn his shot at gold.

Sanchez, meanwhile, has also picked up two straight wins inside the RFA cage. He demolished Todd Meredith at RFA 11 in November and then dominated Miles Marshall in March. The Missouri-based fighter has finished all five of his wins.

In the night’s co-main event, former welterweight title challenger Alan Jouban will square off with Strikeforce and Bellator veteran Ricky Legere Jr.

Also on the main card, Brazilian submission ace Daniel Aguiar locks horns with undefeated wrestling stalwart Sam Toomer at featherweight, Chinzô Machida—fresh off a violent knockout of Brian Wood at RFA 11—returns to take on Russian-born Taekwondo expert Dmitry Gerasimov, also at 145 pounds, and John Hackleman Jr. clashes with fellow unbeaten middleweight Justin Jones.