The second chapter of UFC light heavyweight Anthony Johnson’s career is one full of determination and redemption.
Equipped with scintillating athleticism and natural punching power, Johnson is easily one of the toughest outs in mixed martial arts today.
His divisional ascend should not come as a surprise since he’s always possessed the potential to the test the waters with the most elite fighters in the sport.
But his ability to overcome adversities inside and outside of the cage has allowed him to burst through the proverbial glass ceiling.
In turn, Rumble’s efforts have landed him the opportunity to challenge for the 205-pound strap should he cash in on his highly anticipated showdown with European sensation Alexander Gustafsson this January at UFC on Fox 14.
It’s a light heavyweight tilt capable of producing one of the best contests of 2015, gifting the winner a shot at the victor of UFC 182’s grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.
Johnson recently caught up with Kimura.se to discuss the most important fight of his nine-year career and ultimately pay tribute to his peers:
Of course, he’s (Gustafsson) definitely my toughest opponent. Have you seen that guy fight? He moves well, he punches well, and he doesn’t really get hit. I think the only person that really hit him was Jon Jones a couple of times. You see the difference between Jon Jones and Alexander after that fight. Jones is a beast, don’t get me wrong, he’s the greatest of all time at 205, and he’s proven that over and over again. But Alexander is a beast, too. I’m honored to be in the same weight class as those two guys. So to me, that’s exciting. Hopefully I get old and grey, and I can sit down and sit by the campfire and talk to the younger generation and tell them, ‘Hey, this is what I did when I was in my prime.’ Hopefully I can tell some good stories when I’m old.
At first sight, it’s easy to label Gustafsson as the clear favorite in this fight. He attacks from better angles, he’s more versatile on his feet, strikes with more length and possesses the conditioning to actually do damage in the final few frames.
But when you take into consideration the power Johnson possesses inside of the Octagon, all bets are off.
If the 30-year-old Blackzillian can overcome yet another improbable obstacle, then he would have lived one of the most up-and-down tenures in MMA ever.
Whether he spoils one of the biggest rematches in UFC history and sends Gustafsson on his merry way has yet to be determined.
No matter who prevails, though, Johnson remains one of the most talented and exciting fighters to watch today.
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