News surfaced earlier today that former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson has passed away.
Anthony Johnson : Passed away | What happened to
Johnson made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 10, knocking out Chad Reiner just thirteen seconds into the first round.
He had taken the fight on less than a week’s notice, replacing an injured Steve Bruno, who had torn his rotator cuff.
He was also seen in a previous video for The Ultimate Fighter trying out for season six, however for undisclosed reasons he was not on the show.
In his next bout, he faced Rich Clementi at UFC 76. He lost the fight via rear naked choke submission in round two.
Anthony Johnson Passed away
News surfaced earlier today that former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson has passed away following an ongoing battle with an undisclosed health issue.
He was one of the best knockout artists of his generation and holds some huge wins over high-level competitors inside and outside the octagon.
At the height of his UFC career, the heavy-handed athlete scored knockout wins over former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira and Alexander Gustafsson.
The news of Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson’s passing was made public by UFC welterweight contender Michael Chiesa, who posted the unfortunate news on social media just moments ago.
“RIP Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson. One of the most prolific KO artists our sport has ever seen. My prayers go out to his family and everyone affected by this tragedy.
After scoring a beautiful knockout of Jose Augusto Azevedo Barros in the first round of the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix, Johnson was scheduled to face Vadim Nemkov but was later forced to withdraw due to illness.
Earlier this year, the Georgian-born freak athlete’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, revealed that the fighter’s problems were worsening and urged everybody to pray for his wellbeing.
What happened to
Bellator MMA announced Johnson’s death on social media on Sunday. A Bellator spokesperson said Johnson had been ill for more than a year.
“The BELLATOR family is devastated by his untimely passing and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time,” the announcement said.
During his career, Johnson had 17 knockouts and six decisions. His last fight was in May 2021.
In September 2021, Johnson posted on Instagram that he needed “as many prayers as I can get” and was in a battle, noting it was “NOT COVID.” On May 17, Johnson posted on Instagram that he had gotten good news from his doctor, saying there were “big improvements.”
But in late October, Johnson’s manager spoke to ESPN, saying that Johnson was “going through some health problems right now … he’s not doing well.”
Daniel Cormier, a two-time Olympian and MMA fighter, expressed his condolences on social media, saying “for a guy who struck fear into so many peoples heart Anthony Johnson was a caring person.”