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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Anthony "Rumble" Johnson returns to the UFC on Saturday night at UFC 172, fighting in the Octagon for the first time since January of 2012. His 27 month absence has seen him win six straight fights in a number of weight classes, and he returns to the Octagon as a light heavyweight.
As he prepares for this fight with Phil Davis, Johnson feels like his work has paid off, and he's coming back looking for a fresh start.
"I've been gone for a little while and I'm definitely glad to be back," Johnson said in an interview with Duane Finley at BleacherReport.com. "I'm blessed. I don't feel like there is any pressure on me. I just have to go out there and do what I do. I just want to go out there and fight. People are going to see a guy that doesn't give up that's for sure. They are not going to see the same guy who used to fight at 170. But we'll see. I don't even know what to expect out there. I expect to knock somebody out but that's about it.
"It was great to see the love I was getting from the fight community. A lot of people turned their backs on me, but at the same time, there were a lot of people that stayed around and I want to thank them for that. I want to thank the people that stood by me through my trials and tribulations and my ups and downs. My coaches, team, family and management stuck with me through it all and that is what really matters to me. All the hard work paid off."
This second chance in the UFC is coming 35 lbs. above the weight he frequented during his initial run, but a history of weight cutting issues necessitated a change. But while he's fighting heavier competition as a result, he feels it's not even an issue for him.
"I've found out that I can fight whoever I want to fight," Johnson said. "It doesn't matter which weight class it was. I think I've proved to anyone that I am not afraid to fight anybody at any weight class. I believe I've shown how mentally and physically tough I am. I have power at any weight and that isn't going anywhere."
He'll test that power against Phil Davis, who brings a very tough grappling game that presents a major test for Johnson's skills. He knows what Davis presents to him, but is eager to show what he can do.
"He's a good athlete," Johnson said. "His striking isn't where mine is and that's obvious, but I don't doubt him at all in any type of way. We start out the fight on our feet so he's going to have to work to get me down. I'm just eager to see if he can get me down. I'm eager to see if I can knock him out."
Penick's Analysis: This is a huge opportunity for Johnson, who gets a chance to make an immediate splash into the light heavyweight field. Beating Davis is a very difficult proposition, especially given some of his issues with getting taken down in the past. That said, he's as heavy handed a striker as Davis has faced, and if he catches anyone, he can put them out. It really comes down to whether or not he can land his strikes. We'll find out on Saturday night.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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