Earlier this week, it was announced that Anthony Johnson would be coming out of retirement to make another run for the UFC light heavyweight title.
‘Rumble’ has been critical of his fellow fighters for coming out of retirement only to get ‘mopped up’, but the former two-time UFC light heavyweight title challenger admits he missed the sport during his three-year hiatus.
“Honestly, I missed the sport,” Johnson said of his UFC return at a recent BKFC press conference (h/t MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin). “I missed competing.
“So I know at one point I was against guys coming back from retirement. You usually see them getting mopped up. B.J. Penn came back got mopped. I’ve seen everybody that came out of retirement get mopped up.”
“I just don’t want to be one of those guys to get mopped up but I still feel good,” he added. “I have no injuries. While I was in the UFC, I didn’t get hit much unless I lost and that wasn’t often.”
Johnson, 36, hasn’t fought since his submission loss to then-light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 210. Prior to that, the heavy-hitting knockout artist notched three straight stoppage victories over Jimi Manuwa, Ryan Bader, and Glover Teixeira. Johnson is widely considered one of the most dangerous fighters in the UFC.
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