HONOLULU – Bellator heavyweight Tim Johnson made it to Hawaii to compete in the co-main event of Bellator 294, but some unfortunate events during fight camp nearly ruined everything.
Johnson (16-9 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) went through a lot in the weeks leading up to his fight against Said Sowma at Neal S. Blaisdell Center. The pressure of needing to snap a three-fight skid to keep his job was one thing, but the unexpected physical hurdles made the entire situation surrounding Johnson’s 25th professional fight so much worse.
“This fight camp has been filled with more adversity than I have in any other fight camp put together,” Johnson told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I started off with a car accident that I have no idea how I walked away from. I’m going to put photos up on my Instagram that just show basically the chain of events that happened this fight camp.
“I’m gonna put this out: Everyone make sure you wear your seat belts. I was not wearing mine like an idiot, because I took it off moments before. I rear-ended someone going about 70 miles an hour, and I have no idea how I’m awake or alive at all. That’s how I started off my fight camp. My neck was jacked up pretty good for a couple weeks.”
While Johnson was fortunate to walk away from the car wreck without any serious injuries, his fight camp woes didn’t stop there.
“Then I had some stuff going on with stomach issues,” Johnson explained. “I went to the ER four total times. They couldn’t figure out what was going on. Figured it was gastritis and then an ulcer. Then three weeks ago I was back in the ER, and finally found out what the problem was: I was pregnant. I had some kidney stones and that was the problem of everything. So, this has been one heck of a fight camp.”
Johnson defeated Sowma by unanimous decision, winning two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards. For now, he can exhale a bit before it’s time to prepare for another fight – one that hopefully comes without so many challenges in camp.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 294.
