Former UFC fighter and two-time title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson has passed away at the age of 38, due to health-related reasons which have not yet been specified at this point.
Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson was active in the UFC between 2007 and 2017, fighting as a welterweight, which often proved difficult for him in terms of weight cutting, and then at light heavyweight, where he truly shined as one of the best knockout artists in the UFC.
Victories over the likes of Glover Texeira, Alexander Gustafsson, Phil Davis, and Ryan Bader got him to the top of the ladder and he fought for the light heavyweight title on two occasions. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson retired after his second title loss to Daniel Cormier in 2017, but then returned to Bellator in 2021, where he won yet another fight by knockout (over Jose Augusto) before having to withdraw from the Bellator Grand Prix due to an undisclosed illness.
Last month, his manager Ali Abdelaziz asked everyone to pray for Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in an ESPN interview, saying:
Rumble, he’s going through some health problems right now. It’s very sad. I think I want everybody to pray for him. Pray for Anthony. It’s not going well. He’s very strong, spiritually. But pray for him.
I want to give a shoutout to Bellator, Scott Coker. They’ve been supporting him. You could not imagine how much support they’re giving them, Anthony, be strong. A lot of people love you. He’s going to be okay, but he’s not doing well.”
Bellator president Scott Coker talked cryptically about Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s condition previously, stating:
“Without getting too much into his medical condition, he’s got to worry just about being healthy first, he’s got to heal up and get healthy because there’s so much more in life than just fighting. I want him to have a long, healthy life, and that’s the most important thing.”
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson had a record of 23-6 as a professional. The entire MMA community, from fellow fighters to fans and reporters is mourning his loss.
RIP Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
🙏 It is with great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
The BELLATOR family is devastated by his untimely passing and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/TqZzN1wquY
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) November 13, 2022
