Ian McCall’s advice for Anthony Johnson is short and to the point. Johnson turned a lot of heads when he decided to walk away from the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Following his second-round submission loss to Daniel Cormier at UFC 210, “Rumble” announced he was retiring due to another career path. That path […]
Ian McCall’s advice for Anthony Johnson is short and to the point. Johnson turned a lot of heads when he decided to walk away from the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Following his second-round submission loss to Daniel Cormier at UFC 210, “Rumble” announced he was retiring due to another career path. That path […]
After being submitted in the second round of his rematch with light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 210 in Buffalo, New York last month, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson shockingly announced his retirement from active competition. At age 33, “Rumble” is still in the athletic prime of his career, but he cited a new opportunity outside
After being submitted in the second round of his rematch with light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 210 in Buffalo, New York last month, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson shockingly announced his retirement from active competition. At age 33, “Rumble” is still in the athletic prime of his career, but he cited a new opportunity outside of fighting as the reason for his retirement.
Little has been said regarding his future since, but Johnson recently revealed the industry he’s heading into and it may surprise you:
“My friend Paul, he’s in cannabis,” Johnson told former WWE star Booker T on his “Heated Conversations” show. “We’re opening up a facility, if you know what I mean,” “It’s for medical uses. … We got some good things going on. It’s already big. We’re just waiting for that law to pass and whenever it passes, we’re golden. We’re playing our cards right, we’re playing by the book, so that way there’s no issue.”
This may indeed be the new opportunity Johnson discussed in the immediate aftermath of his bout with Cormier, but he also says health concerns played a factor in deciding to hang up his gloves:
“My health, man,” Johnson said. “You hear about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) and all this other stuff. Head injuries. You’re harming your body playing football and stuff like that, but this stuff can happen just as fast in mixed martial arts as any other sport, because we’re constantly beating on each other. I love myself, you know what I’m saying? A lot of guys don’t think about that.”
“If those guys want to go in there and do that to themselves, go ahead, that’s your life, that’s your body, that’s your future,” he said. “But for me, I’m destined to do something greater.”
“I just couldn’t do it anymore. You gotta go in there and do your thing. You’ve gotta make your money and get out. That’s why Conor McGregor is killing it. He’s straight killing it.”
At the end of the day, Johnson is young enough to make a return to MMA, but he confirmed that he’s ‘not about that life’ anymore:
“That’s not me,” Johnson said. “When I say I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it. I’m finished, man. … I’m not about that life anymore.”
Anthony Johnson is ready for the next chapter in his life. “Rumble” was known for being one of the most devastating strikers in mixed martial arts (MMA). Johnson’s punching power was something to behold and it earned him two Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title shots. After his UFC 210 rematch with Daniel Cormier, Johnson hung […]
Anthony Johnson is ready for the next chapter in his life. “Rumble” was known for being one of the most devastating strikers in mixed martial arts (MMA). Johnson’s punching power was something to behold and it earned him two Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title shots. After his UFC 210 rematch with Daniel Cormier, Johnson hung […]
Jon Jones is officially back in the UFC. Again. Well, at least hopefully. It was announced at today’s UFC Summer Kickoff press conference from UFC 211, that longtime former light heavyweight champion “Bones” will meet his bitter rival, current champion Daniel Cormier, at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California. Cormier vs. Jones is one of
Jon Jones is officially back in the UFC. Again. Well, at least hopefully.
It was announced at today’s UFC Summer Kickoff press conference from UFC 211, that longtime former light heavyweight champion “Bones” will meet his bitter rival, current champion Daniel Cormier, at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California.
Cormier vs. Jones is one of the most infamous rivalries in UFC history, but outside of Jones’ victory in their first fight at UFC 182, it’s fallen apart far more times due to a variety of circumstances than it’s actually transpired. Jones first pulled out of their initial meeting with an innocent enough knee injury, beat Cormier, and was thought to be moving on to an awaited title fight against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson until his notorious New Mexico hit-and-run briefly made him a fugitive and ultimately resulted in him being stripped of his long-held title.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea for USA TODAY Sports
Cormier filled in against “Rumble” at UFC 187 and submitted the hulking power puncher in the third round, defending his belt against Alexander Gustafsson in a five-round war at October 2015’s UFC 192 to earn the rematch with Jones at April 2016’s UFC 197. But this time, Cormier pulled out with a groin injury, leaving Jones to fight late replacement Ovince Saint Preux for an interim title.
He won in a somewhat plain unanimous decision, and his rematch with Cormier was re-booked for the main event of July 2016’s massively anticipated UFC 200. But then the fight was called off yet again, when only three days prior to the bout news arrived that Jones had failed a USADA drug test for two banned estrogen blocking substances and was off the card. Cormier fought Anderson Silva, using his wrestling to smother the all-time great, while Jones was suspended for one year after an arbitration hearing where he supposedly claimed the substance was due to a sexual performance enhancement pill.
Cormier was supposed to defend his belt against Johnson at last December’s UFC 210 but pulled out with another injury. The fight was scheduled for a third time and Cormier submitted “Rumble” by rear-naked choke again, sending the fearsome knockout specialist into retirement and once again opening up the path for him to finally settle the score with Jones.
White has repeatedly stated that Jones would not headline an event he returned at because of trust issues he had created over the past two years of scandals. It’s an expected response from the company whom Jones was once arguably the biggest star of, yet they most likely know they need any big name they can get – even one as uncertain as Jones – in the octagon for a high-profile fight before this year begins being labeled a total bust.
The long-awaited Daniel Cormier vs. Jones rematch is reportedly finally set once again, and this time it’s scheduled for late in the summer. According to a report from BJ PENN.com’s Chris Taylor, multiple sources have confirmed that Cormier will rematch Jones at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California. The rumored return of Cris Cyborg
The long-awaited Daniel Cormier vs. Jones rematch is reportedly finally set once again, and this time it’s scheduled for late in the summer.
According to a report from BJ PENN.com’s Chris Taylor, multiple sources have confirmed that Cormier will rematch Jones at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California. The rumored return of Cris Cyborg is also still slated to take place on the card, with the dominant female star allegedly fighting for an interim or vacate featherweight belt with her opponent “still in the works”:
I have confirmed with sources close to the fight that Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 is official and will headline #UFC214 on July 29!
Cormier and Jones’ highly-publicized beef goes back nearly three full years to their now-historic presser brawl before their original scheduled rematch at 2014’s UFC 178 from Las Vegas. That fight would go on to fall apart due to a Jones injury, but the two would eventually settle their score – or so we thought – when Jones finally outlasted Cormier with a five-round unanimous decision win over Cormier in the main event of 2015’s UFC 182, the only loss of Cormier’s illustrious career.
Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea for USA TODAY Sports
“Bones” was set to move on to the next challenge of his own legendary MMA career when he matched up with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at May 2015’s UFC 187, but when Jones was forced out of the fight after a bizarre and shocking hit-and-run accident where he left a 25-year-old pregnant girl with a broken arm, the all-time great was stripped of his belt and Cormier was granted na opportunity few ever get after losing a title fight in their previous bout.
He capitalized majorly, submitted Johnson in the third round of their main event bout after getting rocked by a missile of a right hand in the first round, opening up the path for his title reign that has been filled with ups and downs. He defended the belt against Alexander Gustafsson in a classic battle at UFC 192, and was set to rematch Jones at April 2016’s UFC 197 before a leg injury forced him out. Jones ultimately fought and beat Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197 in a one-sided replacement fight for the interim title.
The rematch was scheduled yet again for last July’s massive UFC 200, but once again Jones made a boneheaded mistake that put his fighting future in jeopardy when he failed pre-fight drug tests for banned estrogen blockers. Cormier fought and beat replacement Anderson Silva in an uninspired, safe decision before defending the belt for a second time with another rear-naked choke win over Johnson at April 8’s UFC 210, a bout after which ‘Rumble’ announced his retirement from the fight game.
UFC President Dana White has stated that Jones will not return to a main event because of the trust issues his track record of the past few years have understandably fostered, so it would seem like the company will have to get an absolutely huge match-up to feature over Cormier vs. Jones, one of the most anticipated – and rescheduled – rematches in UFC history.
Cyborg fighting Megan Anderson may fit that bill, but it’s safe to say that most eyes will be on the potential return of ‘Bones’ and whether or not he can defeat the more by-the-book champion that most fans seem to hate for one reason or another.
Either way, UFC 214 is looking like it will be stacked.
Jimi Manuwa has been campaigning hard for a light heavyweight title shot against Daniel Cormier, but now he’s taken things to a new level. Speaking during a recent interview with ESPN’s ‘Five Rounds’ podcast (via MMA Junkie), the English knockout artist revealed his displeasure at Jon Jones reportedly leaping the queue at 205 pounds and
Jimi Manuwa has been campaigning hard for a light heavyweight title shot against Daniel Cormier, but now he’s taken things to a new level.
Speaking during a recent interview with ESPN’s ‘Five Rounds’ podcast (via MMA Junkie), the English knockout artist revealed his displeasure at Jon Jones reportedly leaping the queue at 205 pounds and getting a rematch with Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim. According to “The Poster Boy,” even the dominant Jones needs a tune-up after so much uncertainty and time away from the octagon:
“I didn’t want (Jones) to kind of jump the line,” Manuwa said. “I’ve been working hard, knocking people out. I believe I deserve the title shot. He’s the greatest of all time, but he’s been off for a year or two years. I think he needs a warm-up fight, and I think he knows he needs a warm-up fight.”
Manuwa fully acknowledged Jones’ greatness, but also noted that his recent two-fight streak of incredible knockouts is more impressive than Jones’ recent track record after not finishing a fight since April 2013. Due to how he finishes his wins inside the cage, Manuwa gave himself some incredibly high praise:
“You can’t really argue with Jon Jones,” Manuwa said “He’s the best of all time in all weight divisions — maybe him and (Demetrious Johnson) after (UFC on FOX 24) performance. But I don’t know. I just feel I’ve finished all my fights in spectacular fashion. I don’t go to decision. I’m like the Mike Tyson of the division now. I think all these people know that I’m a (tough) fight for anyone.”
Indeed he is a tough fight for anyone, but it’s still a difficult comparison considering he’s been finished by two of the top five contenders at 205 pounds. Still, ‘The Poster Boy’ will be on high alert should anything go wrong with Jones – and that’s tended to be the case as of late – so he can capitalize on the beef he created by appearing cageside at Cormier’s UFC 210 win over Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
The grueling, grinding champ has called Manuwa “easy work” while he’s dubbed himself the “Kid Dynamite” of the UFC light heavyweight division. Which one is it?
