UFC
Anthony Johnson says he was "just stupid" to delay move up in weight, aiming for UFC Title bout
Jul 24, 2014 - 3:20:21 PM Anthony Johnson says he was "just stupid" to delay move up in weight, aiming for UFC Title bout

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Anthony "Rumble" Johnson made a successful return to the UFC in April, defeating Phil Davis in an impressive performance and setting himself up for a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on Saturday at UFC on Fox 12.

His resurgence over the last few years coincided with his move up in weight, as the former welterweight stopped attempting to cut massive amounts of weight to hit a smaller limit. Asked this week in an interview with FoxSports.com why it took him so long to make that switch, Johnson was blunt in his response.

"I was just stupid," Johnson said. "I should have listened to my body."

Now, he's trying to make his run to a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and all the fights on the way to that destination are simply rest stops.

"All the wins don't matter until I actually get a title in my opinion," Johnson said. "Rankings are just numbers. All this stuff is happening for a reason. I'm blessed and grateful that I got my head out of my ass and started doing stuff differently."

Penick's Analysis: Johnson's frame just wasn't suited for 170 lbs., and it became clear the more and more he had trouble making that weight. He's where he needs to be now, and he's looked quite good over the last couple of years. A win over Nogueira on Saturday moves him into what could be a number one contender fight, and at worst he's three more wins away from that title fight. If he keeps doing what he's doing, he'll get to that point.