Despite his weight issues, I've always been a believer in Anthony Johnson. It's hard not to be a believer in such a freak specimen, who prides himself on being a complete fighter. His power has always been tremendous, but now we've seen his takedown defense and fight IQ grow in past fights. We don't see him rush in recklessly like he used to. He's far more composed in the octagon as well. While the Blackzilians were on the receiving end of several jokes, Johnson has arguably been their biggest success. Besides his teammate Rashad Evans, he proved to be the only fighter ever to dominate Phil Davis in each round. Even though I picked him in an upset, it was still surprising to see him so dominant and stuff all of Davis' double leg takedowns. Now he's back in the upper echelon of a division and remains committed to it. His lack of commitment had always been his main hinderance. It wasn't from being out of shape or eating too much. The issues were simply from not managing his body properly. The infamous weight cutting stories from 230 to 170 were painful to read about. Now with Rashad Evans and the Blackzilians guiding him, his untapped potential has been unleashed and now has a favorable matchup against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. A 38 year old, who has chronic back issues, out for over a year, and will likely be a step slower couldn't be a better matchup for Johnson.
I cover the sport of MMA, along with being a fan of the sport since 2008. I've been covering the sport for two years now, along with interviewing several fighters. I also write on MMASucka.com. You can follow me on twitter @Allen_Strk or email at AStrk19@gmail.com
