Originally Posted by MMAweekly.com

Strikeforce heavyweight fighter Lavar "Big" Johnson was the victim of a shooting just after midnight on Sunday morning in Bakersfield, Calif. He suffered "a serious gunshot wound to his abdomen," according to a report by the Bakersfield Californian. Four other individuals also sustained gunshot injuries during the same incident.

A news release from the Bakersfield Police Department stated, "Investigation has determined that the assailant, described as a black male in his late teens, possibly accompanied by another black male and a black female also in their late teens were walking south bound in the middle of the roadway in the 200 block of 'T' Street. While walking past a residence, where a large group of people were holding a family reunion, the assailant suddenly brandished a semi-automatic handgun and began to indiscriminately discharge the weapon multiple times into the crowd striking all of the victims."

Reached by MMAWeekly.com on Monday, a representative of Johnson's management company, Zinkin Entertainment, said that Johnson "underwent surgery again Monday morning for his injury to his internal organs. The surgery was successful and he is in stable condition at this time."

Johnson has steadily been advancing his career in the heavyweight division. His professional record currently stands at 12-3.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com on Monday that Johnson had been scheduled to fight on the promotion's Aug. 15 fight card featuring Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg. Negotiations were underway to try and secure British heavyweight James Thompson as an opponent.