Biography
Before completing the career, Anthony Johnson was considered one of the most frightening and aggressive fighters of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in light heavyweight. Nickname Rubbing America went because of the hard knockout equipment inherent in him, who shot down from the legs of the most persistent rivals - Alexander Gustafsson, Jimi Manuva, Mike Kaila and others.Childhood and youth
Anthony Kevoa Johnson was born on March 6, 1984 in Dublin, Georgia. The biography of the fighter from the first days was not easy - actually parents refused him. The upbringing of the boy fell on the shoulders of grandparents, who officially issued the guardianship in 1986. "Father" and football player Walter Payton were for Anthony examples worthy of imitation.
Johnson visited West Laurens high school, and then entered the fighter scholarship in Lassen College in Suzanville, California. Here, the athlete received the first title - champion in combating juniors.
An impressive complex - in the best sports, Johnson weighed 93 kg with a height of 188 cm - allowed the young man after college to get a nightclub. Who knows how Anthony's life would have formed if at 20 a friend did not suggest him seriously make a mixed martial arts.
Martial arts
Grueling workouts and a fundamentally modified nutrition system turned Anthony Johnson in an engineering, neat fighter. For the first time in octave, he entered August 2006 against Honatan Romero. In the first round, at the beginning of the second minute, the American struck the enemy by technical knockout.
"Dry" victory in the fights served Johnson a good service. Already less than a year after the first battle, the fighter came under the auspices of the UFC. Fight with Chad Reinerome ended after 13 seconds unconditional victory for cutting. The outcome shocked the public, because Johnson accepted the battle in less than a week, replacing the injured Steve Bruno.
Subsequent speeches can not be called smooth: defeat in battle with the rich clitiment, victory over Tom Spir, defeat from the hands of Kevin Burns, and then in revenge with him - a victory. The last fight brought Johnson the title "Knockout nights" (Knockout of the Night) and a prize of $ 25 thousand.
In battle against the Japanese judoist Yoshiuki Yoshida, Johnson was launched. The mass played a fighter on the hand, and he won. Not having time to recover, the cutting came out against Josh Koschka just a month and expectedly lost. Their spectacular clash was honored with the title "Fight of the Nights".
Following a long break in Johnson's career, provoked by the knee injury. The athlete thought to go to the mid heavyweight weight to weaken the pressure on the leg, but remained faithful to himself. In 2011, the cutting returned to octave, won over Dan Hardy and Charlie Briman, and then lost to the Vitor Belfut - the American once again struck by the suffocating reception. The battle took place on January 14, 2012 and became the final in the career of Johnson under the auspices of UFC.
Fighter found a place in Titan Fighting Championships (TFC). In the battle against David Brancha, Johnson registered the weight of weight, which was the fourth violation in the cabin career. Despite the superiority in the mass, the American won only thanks to the unanimous decision of the judges.
Fight with David Branch gave the start cycle victories. In front of the knockers, the root weight of Estenegen Jones, Mike Kyle, Phil Davis, Anthony Roderiu Nogair, Alexander Gustafsson. Belorus Andrei Orlovsky and American Phil Davis tried to confront the enemy, but were recognized as a loser unanimous decision.
In February 2014, it became known that Johnson will return to UFC on 4 battle, and in fact he was delayed for a longer period. A series of victories was interrupted by an alarming information about the personal life of an athlete - in September of the same year, Anthony was suspected of domestic violence over his wife. Promoter suspended a career of cutting during the investigation, in November, the ban was removed.
It was expected that in May 2015, the fighter will face John Jones. A month before the fight, the UFC champion became the culprit of the accident and was removed from sports indefinitely. Johnson's opponent's place occupied Daniel Kormje, who won the hatch, using a suffocating reception.
Fights with Jimi Manva, Ryan Bader and Glover Taishira just misunderstood Johnson's desire to take Revenge from Daniel Kormye. The athletes entered octagon in April 2017, the fight again ended with the defeat of the cutting.
The second unsuccessful attempt to take possession of the UFC champion title in a light heavyweight weight forced Johnson to announce a career completion. In an interview after the fight with the feed, the logging said that "tired of what they beat me on the face" and promised to do something that is not connected with martial arts.
Personal life
Anthony Johnson has repeatedly been in the center of the scandals associated with the manual design. Most of them are probably provoked by the popularity of the American and the desire to make money on his image, but there are and reliable facts.
In 2009, the fighter was arrested for the use of domestic violence against the mother of his two children. Johnson sentenced to 3 years conditionally. In 2014, the chubbuck again tried to attract an athlete to justice, stating that he knocked her tooth. Johnson justified.
An American is a believer, Baptist, according to personal confessions, often confess. Throwing to religion Johnson instilled his grandmother. She gave him a cross when the guy finished senior classes. Since then, the fighter always holds it with him.
Anthony Johnson now
Once in an interview with Johnson admitted that he did not put a cross on his sports career. He promised to return to octave, if the promotion propose an interesting opponent.
Unforgent Dream Rubki - Fight John Jones. In September 2018, a photo appeared in "Instagram" a photo on which Johnson and Jones stand face to face, as on the weighing procedure.
The fans of spectacular battles have been waiting, but Anthony said she did not believe that "a fight with John Jones would ever take place."
Now the American goes to the tour and gives autographs, remembers the former victories, but whether nostalgia will be impellent to future accomplishments - unknown. Official statements of an athlete about whether he plans to return to octagon in 2019, no.
Titles and awards
- 2008, 2011 - Knockout of the Night
- 2009 - Fight of the Night
- 2014, 2015 (2 times), 2016 (2 times) - Performance of the Night