Report: Anthony Johnson Will Fight Jake Rosholt Four Weeks After His Light-Heavyweight Debut

Anthony Johnson

Booking more than one fight in advance is usually the M.O. of check-collectors like Bob Sapp, who don’t really care about winning, and don’t plan on taking much damage anyway. It could also be the mark of excessive optimism — a clear sign that you’re looking past your next opponent. It’s safe to say that Anthony Johnson falls into that second category. As MMA Fighting reports, Johnson has been booked to face former UFC prospect Jake Rosholt in a light-heavyweight bout at Xtreme Fight Night 8 on September 21st — just four weeks after Rumble’s official light-heavyweight debut against Esteves “Quiet Riot” Jones at Titan Fighting Championships 24.

Rosholt, a former middleweight who was cut from the UFC following a first-round submission loss to Kendall Grove at UFC 106 in November 2009, has gone 6-2 with one no-contest since his stint in the Octagon, with five of those wins coming via first-round stoppage. Rosholt made the jump to 205 pounds in his last fight in June, but wound up losing to Matt Thompson via kneebar — a result that doesn’t bode well for his chances against Anthony Johnson. Then again, if Rumble gets injured or badly K.O.’d during his fight against Esteves Jones, Johnson vs. Rosholt might not even happen. Don’t order tickets quite yet, is what we’re saying.

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XFN 8 goes down at the Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma; no other matchups for the event have been reported yet.