For anyone who caught some of UFC welterweight Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s post fight comments after his victory last weekend at UFC Fight Night 24, he had some rather unkind things to say about fellow 170 pounder John “Doomsday” Howard (14-6).
Both men had been scheduled to meet at the first UFC event on Versus, but an injury to Johnson forced him off the card. Since that time both men have a hate on for each other.
Speaking to MMAWeekly.com, Howard shed some light on why he and “Rumble” are feuding and what he’d like to do about it if the UFC gives him a chance.
“He started the beef about a year ago. What happened was, (the UFC) offered the fight to me for my second fight in the UFC. And I told them, ‘no, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m still new in the UFC and I still want to be making some money out of it, and don’t want to be fighting some of the top 20 guys already.’ He took it like, oh, I was scared, I’m a (expletive), I’m a (expletive) and all this. And then call me a ‘cotton picker…’
“The beef is real.I can’t stand that cat. I hate that kid. The feeling is mutual…”
“Yeah, I definitely want to shut that dude up, man. It’s one of those fights where I don’t care about winning or losing. I just want to smash this dude. I think it’s better to (have it) happen in the UFC before it gets to the streets. That’s how bad it is between me and him. I don’t like this kid…”
“It’s about to get real ugly.”
Howard has lost two straight after a seven fight win streak, including four straight with the UFC was stopped last summer. “Doomsday” lost a unanimous decision to Thiago Alves at UFC 124 and a TKO loss, due to a doctors stoppage, at UFC on Versus 2 show against Jake Ellenberger.