MMA Fighting<\/a>). \u201cI was up to probably 280 and that was the worst I\u2019ve ever been. That\u2019s the worst anyone\u2019s ever gonna see me and I\u2019ll never be back up there again. But I needed it to happen. I needed to hit rock bottom as far as the way I was, going to the gym and taking care of myself. Going to the gym since I was eight, it can take a lot of wear and tear on any human being, so I\u2019m glad I took the break that I took.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m coming back now and I feel a lot better, my punches are stronger, harder, faster. The other day my coach said, \u2018AJ, you\u2019re still dangerous.\u2019 He walked up to me after – this was the second time he saw me spar, because he\u2019s been gone – he came up to me and said, \u2018AJ, you\u2019re still dangerous. You\u2019re still very fast and punch hard.\u2019 I\u2019ve knocked out two people already in training in the first two days of sparring so I feel like everything is clicking.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Anthony Johnson suggests, these comeback plans will take him up to the heavyweight division. While he can expect some truly dangerous challenges in this division, he sounds excited about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now I feel good being at 240,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIf I were to fight right now at heavyweight for 240, I\u2019d feel just fine. I feel like I still have my strength. I\u2019m definitely not going to be one of the bigger heavyweight guys, there\u2019s some monsters at heavyweight, but my advantage would probably be speed over a majority of those guys. Everybody at heavyweight for the most part has power but I think I\u2019m much faster than those guys and I\u2019ll probably have a little bit more knockout power. Don\u2019t take that from me, I\u2019m just saying.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose guys at heavyweight are amazing. I look forward to fighting all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the same interview, Johnson touched on his motivation to return. Apparently, he’s got the itch to show off his skills and hurt people \u2014 a frightening thought considering he’s\u00a0 arguably the hardest puncher in MMA history.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to meet with the UFC some more,\u201d Rumble said. \u201cWe have to go over things and just figure some stuff out but it\u2019s all looking good so far. Nothing bad. I don\u2019t want to put my foot in my mouth and say too much but everything\u2019s looking good right now. I\u2019m not worried.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to shoot for April\/May but maybe June\/July. We\u2019ll see. But whenever I come back I\u2019m going to make sure it\u2019s known. I want to come back and showcase everything and fight and just hurt people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Who do you want to see Anthony Johnson fight in his return to the cage?<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on\u00a0<\/i>BJPENN.COM<\/i><\/span><\/a>\u00a0on 11\/18\/2019.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Johnson has been teasing a return to the Octagon for some time. If he has his way, that return to action will occur in the summer of 2020. Speaking with\u00a0The Mac Life ahead of Saturday’s BKFC 9 card, Johnson shared the ideal timeframe for his return, explaining that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54430,"featured_media":332425,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[10108,39610],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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