“And if you think *I’m* upset, young man, you just WAIT until your father gets home!” (Pic: MMAMania.com)
Sometimes a fighter gets cut under bizarre circumstances that no one saw coming, and sometimes the writing is on the wall.
There was very little Anthony Johnson could have done last night to preserve his job in the UFC, and “losing” wasn’t on the short list. Every facet of Johnson’s battle with gravity has been a spectacle. On Friday night, he missed weight for the third time in his UFC career—that’s a first for the promotion. And when he stepped on the scales, he didn’t miss by a slim margin, either. He was closer to the light heavyweight limit than he was the middleweight. The eleven extra pounds he was sporting? That sets a UFC record as well.
Now we’ve already belabored Johnson’s lack of professionalism over the last two days, and whether it’s through a dinner invitation or a dismissive laugh, “Rumble” has made it clear that he doesn’t care what we the fans think. One person that does matter, however, is his boss. Here’s what Dana White had to say on the issue.
In an post-fight interview with MMAJunkie.com, the UFC President shared his unbridled thoughts on Johnson’s future:
“This is his third time. Three strikes and you’re gone.”
“That was one of the most unprofessional things I’ve ever seen. The guy was at 170 pounds. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn’t happen anymore, and this is the worst weight cutting disaster he’s ever had. He almost ruined the co-main event here in Brazil. I don’t know what else to say about that one. I’m not happy about it.”
“I knew what the decision was when I talked to you on Friday,” White told MMAjunkie.com. “This is his third time. Listen, the guy was having problems making 170 pounds. He wanted to stay at 170 or whatever his deal was. You go to 185, and you blow it as bad as he blew it? That’s bad, man.”
“I don’t know who you blame in this one. Do you blame him? Do you blame his team? Do you blame his camp? I mean who takes the blame in this one? Ultimately, you’re a grown man. You’re responsible for your own actions.”
Johnson is a great fighter and it sucks to see him leave the promotion, but at the end of the day if you can’t be counted on to play by the rules, you don’t belong in a cage with the best. I’d expect Bellator and other organizations to pursue “Rumble” immediately, but don’t be surprised if we see him in Strikeforce or back in the Octagon soon enough. Dana’s been known to change his mind about this sort of thing.
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Comments
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:21
Blame Danga.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:24
Anthony Johnson made all of his team members look really stupid for hyping him as some terror at 185. I wonder if AJ would show up to camp a few weeks prior to the fight weighing 230-something, and his coaches would just shake their heads at him. Funny that Dolce was on Belfort's team for this match, and was present during the recorded interview between Belfort and White concerning Johnson's weight.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:27
Blame Canada. There was no excuse, no way does an iv drip put 11 #s on you that quick. They would have to put almost 1.5 gallons in him for 11 #s. He had to start from upwards of 225 which is retarded, plus hes obviously bulked up since his 170 fights.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:29
I hope he tries to make it a race thing so I can really loathe his pudgy ass.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:38
Yep, fully warranted. Over the past few days Johnson insulted his opponent (missing weight), the UFC (same), his camp (weight/losing in embarrassing fashion), the fans (his statement, basically a "fuck you" to the fans), and everyone's intelligence (acting like it was a medical condition that couldn't have been avoided by properly cutting weight). Don't let the door hit you on the way out (or do, don't really care).
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:40
oh man fuck this shit mannnn, everyone knows Dana hates Rumble cause he's a damn fat nigga......what? to soon? no? umm, ok.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:41
Anyone else notice that Lorenzo Fertitta is built like a fuckin action figure?
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:43
No need for the "nigger" shit lads...Vitors class just makes him look like even more of a bum..Viotr started as a heavyweight lets not forget
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:46
It does suck to see someone so talented just not have that work ethic. I think he may be a little to relaxed with the Blackzillians, may he should go to MFS and run that hill I've heard so much about hahaha. (mandatory Dolce diet plug for Rumble)
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:51
Its been said many times before but I'll say it again. They should do the weigh-ins the same day of the fight. Not the day before, not Saturday morning but at 2 or 3pm when they get to the arena. It you want to cut weight and be weak and dehydrated at that time, that's your problem. It would keep guys more "honest" in what weight class they belong in. I don't see a problem with cutting 5 or 10lbs but what Johnson does is must taking advantage of the situation and not only pays for it but puts events, his own health, his job and future all in jeopardy to gain a small advantage.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 12:59
That's been my mantra for 3 plus years mafia. For a long time wrestlers used to it were fighting MUCH smaller guys and lay and prey became the norm. We still have huge discrepencies in to many fights, but other disciplines are figuring it out, except we still see a guy with a blatent 15#s on an opponent. Funny is spider was what originally made me hate day before, he should be a 205 fighter, but that was the deep end of the pool then, now not as much, and I can say same on bones.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:01
dude deserved it, he'll fight in bellator for the 185 belt or something stupid like that
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:02
Hope he realizes he messed up and gets his shot together, perhaps come back in a few years, after becoming a Dolce poster boy.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:07
My only regret from last night (aside from a brutal hangover this morning) is that Rumble was matched with Vitor and not Paul Harris. That would have been one hell of a sendoff.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:27
Awesome. So glad he's fired the dumb fat fuck. Been waiting' for this chubby bastard to finally get served his... just deserts.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:46
I think this loss qualifies him to fight for the title in Strikeforce.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 01:53
@BryanF I too noticed that Lorenzo is been getting ripped. I guess when you're a billionaire you can get the best trainers, supplements, and possibly the juice.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 02:35
@Osama = Hormone Replacement therapy and HGH is more likely, all legal of course when you have enough $$
Sun, 01/15/12 - 03:30
I want to hear who XENO blames.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 03:32
@ccman It would take more than that since a lot of what goes in IV comes out within an hour or two........unless you have pulmonary edema or congestive heart failure. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt as since it's remotely possible that someone on his medical team confused "Fluids by IV" with "Feeding tube full of KFC"
Sun, 01/15/12 - 04:11
@ Mt. I was just going by pure fluid weight, only other idea is cargo starving and the swell you get when you break that, but they specifically said iv. Is IV KFC boneless?
Sun, 01/15/12 - 04:59
Since Xeno isn't here.... . It was Anderson Silva's doing. AS has a big problem with the Blackzilian's. A lot of darker skinned Brazilians (like AS) have not taken kindly to the team's name. . So Anderson sent piles of cookies and cheesecake to their gym and AJ ballooned. Also, word has it, Rashad is moving up to heavyweight for the same reason. . [some shit about Lorenzo juicing and his mob connections] . [some other shit about Dana being a part of the Illuminati] . [4 or 5 replies to other posts] . [another paragraph that pretty much amounts to a wall of text] . (I'm just not cut out to fill in for Xeno)
Sun, 01/15/12 - 05:25
@amsterdamheavy: I'm under the impression that HGH is more harmful than roids. Maybe I'm wrong. P.S. I was in Amsterdam last October and loved it :D
Sun, 01/15/12 - 05:52
Thank God. Fuck you Rumble, you lazy, unprofessional bitch. See you in Bellator fighting at 185 with "renewed commitment" being hyped all day long.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:18
It's okay MediumRare. It speaks well to your sanity. Good effort at an outline though. It sounded about right.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:22
Anthony Johnson vs Hector Lombard - binger vs juicer, for whatever weight class Bellator thinks I appropriate.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:32
he will beat Hector Lombard real soon
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:35
Looking at that picture, I have to say that disappointed look Lorenzo has on his face is pretty fucking scary. Whereas Dana flies off the handle, gets pissed, and swears when he's mad at you, he also calms down and is willing to give second and third chances. Lorenzo is giving that look of calm, quiet disappointment that just says, "You fucked with the wrong man's event here, fatty. You're never gonna work in this sport again. Ever." Perhaps it's for the best. Once an unemployed Anthony Johnson inevitably goes on food stamps, maybe the taste of that guv'ment cheese will help him lose weight.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:36
Oh no Seth, not you too...
Sun, 01/15/12 - 07:56
Someone not named skeletor had to do it, Danga. At least it wasn't Chris, right? Some readers actually take him seriously.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 08:21
@ MMA Mafia @ ccman, I have always thought the same as you guys and wondered why they did the weigh ins a day before. Joe Rogan talked about it the other day on the podcast and said the reason they started doing it in boxing was that fighters were still cutting lots of weight when they had to weigh in just hours before the fight and there were a few close calls because of that, fainting, dehydration in the ring. I guess the reasoning is that it is the lesser of two evils, in that competitors are always going to look for an advantage so in the interest of safety (and fights that don't stop due to exhaustion) they hold the weigh ins the day before to give the fighter a chance to properly rehydrate.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 09:08
Lorenzo and Dana see the same HGH doc. Again, when you got dough and can get the good stuff, this HGH is like the fountain of youth. The only problem is the "G" for growth, this shit makes your bone density shoot up, it also enlarges your guts. the good old pot of abs and skull enlargement look.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 10:49
At the risk of quoting Jennifer Lopez here, "You can go hard or you can go home." (Actually, i dunno why i quoted that-- it's a fucking annoying song by an equally annoying bitch). Fuck Johnson! Honestly. He's lost any credibility he had before this fight. As a punishment he should be fed to Overeem in the heavyweight division.
Sun, 01/15/12 - 11:55
The timing of the weight cuts definitely needs to change. Big cuts can't be good for the fighters health and are more or less a form of sandbagging.
Mon, 01/16/12 - 12:13
I like Anthony Johnson. He is really the real man that I dream for ;) http://www.cigs4girls.com/
Mon, 01/16/12 - 01:40
What the hell is arianny doing Yoga for? She looks like she's on E
Mon, 01/16/12 - 07:37
Rumble Johnson is the JaMarcus Russell of MMA....mostly because he's fat and retarded, not the actualy skill level, because he's a legit fighter, just an idiot with lacking work ethic
Mon, 01/16/12 - 09:38
LOL at a guy with an 8 pack being called fat.
Mon, 01/16/12 - 05:16
mmmm.. intravenous gravy...
Tue, 01/17/12 - 01:52
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