This past weekend, the MMA community mourned the death of former UFC title challenger and Bellator fighter Anthony Johnson, who died Saturday at the age of 38 after a lengthy illness.
Nicknamed “Rumble,” Johnson (23-6) twice fought for the UFC light heavyweight championship against Daniel Cormier in May 2015 and April 2017, losing both fights by submission. He unexpectedly announced his retirement after the latter matchup, but he wasn’t finished.
Four years later, Johnson returned to MMA with Bellator and in May 2021 earned a knockout victory over Jose Augusto. He was scheduled to fight in the organization’s 205-pound tournament but withdrew due because of his illness that he largely kept private.
