MMA debut of former Tennessee Vols football player AJ Johnson delayed

Former Tennessee football player A.J, Johnson, who is awaiting trial for rape with a former teammate, will not make his mixed martial arts debut on Saturday.

Johnson was scheduled to fight heayweight CJ Baker in an amateur bout on the card for Valor Fights 47 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.  

However, Valor Fights president Tim Loy said Friday that Johnson has a medical issue and his debut is likely to take place in three months.

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Former UT player Ovince Saint Preux competes in the light heavyweight division of  UFC. 

Johnson’s trial date is set for July 16. He and former teammate Michael Williams are accused of raping a female UT athlete during a party at Johnson’s apartment after a UT game in November 2014. The two men say the sex was consensual and that their accuser, who was dating another football player while carrying on a side affair with Johnson, is lying.

Attorneys for Johnson and Williams sought social media posts, messages and texts from the accuser and three of her friends, arguing they could help prove the accuser is lying. The lawyers say Knoxville police didn’t follow through with a warrant for those communications, though several witnesses said the incident was discussed online.

The accuser and her best friend got rid of their phones after police asked about text messages and social media posts, the defense says.

Existing law didn’t address the accused’s right to get that information, but the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that if police don’t collect internet posts, defense attorneys can seek them as they would other forms of discussion.

Johnson’s lawyer said last month he sought to subpoena relevant social media history. A hearing is set Wednesday to discuss that issue, and whether Johnson and Williams will be tried together or separately.

Court brief: Ex-Vol A.J. Johnson, rape accuser sex partners for 'months'