Anthony Johnson (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson (10-4) was competing for his job Saturday (Jan. 14, 2012) night when he stepped into the Octagon to face Vitor Belfort in the co-main event of UFC 142.
Johnson would end up losing via first round submission to Belfort, and has now apparently lost his job as well. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com following the UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes event.
“This is his third time,” White said of Johnson’s failure to make weight for the third time in his octagon career. “Three strikes and you’re gone.”
“That was one of the most unprofessional things I’ve ever seen,” White said. “The guy was at 170 pounds. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn’t happen anymore, and this is the worst weightcutting disaster he’s ever had. He almost ruined the co-main event here in Brazil. I don’t know what else to say about that one. I’m not happy about it.”
Just over twenty-four hours before, Johnson was just hours from hitting the scales on Friday night when something started to go wrong forcing a UFC physician to step in ordering ‘Rumble’ to rehydrate immediately.
So despite reportedly being 1.5-lbs from the 186-lbs limit for middleweight, Johnson was given a bunch of fluids which pushed his weight up to 197-lbs by the time he hits the scales.
In White’s latest video blog for the event, he breaks the news to a visibly shaken Belfort, who is staying on target for his weight cut by busily chewing on ice through a towel. In the end ‘The Phenom’ and his camp agree to contend the bout at light heavyweight, with Belfort still meeting his contractual weight (186-lbs) qualifying him for 20% of Johnson’s purse.
The failure to make weight was Johnson’s third infraction having failed to make weight twice as a welterweight at UFC 76 and UFC 104. The move to middleweight was supposed to have negated the possibility of ‘Rumble’ missing weight.