Two-time UFC title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson died Sunday, Bellator MMA introduced. He was 38.
Johnson had been battling an unknown sickness for an extended time period, and final month his supervisor Ali Abdelaziz requested followers to hope for the fighter.
“Rumble, he’s going by way of some well being issues proper now. It’s very unhappy,” Abdelaziz stated throughout an ESPN interview in October. “I feel, I need all people to hope for him. Pray for Anthony. It’s not going effectively. He’s very robust, spiritually. However pray for him.”
Final yr, Johnson shared a put up on social media speaking about his sickness.
“Actually want I might go into element about how ailing I really am,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “Simply know I want as many prayers as I can get and I’ll see you in 2022 God prepared. By no means been this afraid of something in my life however I’ve remained robust with the help of family and friends.”
Daniel Cormier, who defeated Johnson in two UFC gentle heavyweight title fights, tweeted a tribute to him.
“Relaxation Simple my brother. For a man who struck concern in so many peoples coronary heart Anthony Johnson was a caring particular person. From random textual content to test ins throughout loss. What an individual he was, Rumble might be missed. Typically life doesn’t appear truthful. Horrible information #RIP#Rumblesquad@Anthony_Rumble,” Cormier wrote.
Johnson, who went 23-6 in MMA with 17 victories through (T)KO, is remembered for 2 separate stretches of time with the UFC from 2007-12 and 2014-17. His first run noticed him emerge as a power-hitting welterweight prospect who pushed the bounds of slicing his massive body right down to 170 kilos for weigh ins. After weight administration points contributed to his exit from the UFC, he returned to the promotion at a extra pure 205-pound competitors weight.
Throughout that second stint, Johnson defeated Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, Alexander Gustafsson and Phil Davis, and had two probabilities on the gentle heavyweight championship, each losses to Cormier.
He retired from MMA in 2017 after his second loss to Cormier however returned in 2021 and fought for Bellator, knocking out Jose Augusto within the second spherical of their Mild Heavyweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout. The undisclosed sickness compelled Johnson to withdraw from his scheduled battle final October towards Bellator gentle heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov.
Exterior of the cage, Johnson was arrested a number of occasions. He served three years probation as a part of a plea of no contest to a 2009 home violence cost in California. He was arrested in 2019 in Florida and charged with one rely of battery/home battery. As a part of a plea settlement, he accomplished a 12-hour anger administration course. Final Might, in the future after defeating Augusto in what can be his remaining MMA battle, he was arrested at Mohegan Solar On line casino in Connecticut and charged with id theft for alleged use of a stolen credit score cart.
Johnson’s hyperlinks to reviews of and arrests for home violence led to an indefinite UFC suspension in September 2014, whereas the promotion stated in an announcement it was “utilizing a third-party legislation agency to conduct a proper investigation.” The ban was lifted that November.
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