Anthony Johnson, who was born in Dublin, Georgia, in 1984, received a wrestling scholarship to attend college. He won the national junior college wrestling championship.
He began working as a bouncer at the age of twenty, but after his wrestling experience, a friend advised him to try mixed martial arts. Because of his ability to knock someone out with one punch, he was lovingly called Rumble. Thirteen seconds into the opening round of UFC Fight Night 10 in 2006, Johnson submitted Chad Reiner, making his UFC debut.
How Did Rumble Johnson Die?
This UFC fighter had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis during a battle; he passed away from organ failure. He was 38. Patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have seen increases in survival rates over the years.
The overall 5-year survival rate for patients in the US is 73%, primarily due to advancements in treatment. Anthony Johnson unfortunately passed away from the sickness.
Bellator MMA shared a post on Twitter:
🙏 It is with great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
The BELLATOR family is devastated by his untimely passing and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/TqZzN1wquY
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 13, 2022
Johnson had six decisions and 17 knockouts in his career. In May 2021, he had his final about. Johnson said he was fighting and needed “as many prayers as I can get” on Instagram in September 2021. He also noted that the situation was “NOT COVID.”
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Johnson announced on Instagram on May 17 that he had received positive news from his physician and that there had been “significant improvements.”
However, Johnson’s manager told ESPN in a late-October interview that Johnson was “going through some health problems right now… he’s not doing well.”
In his social media condolences, two-time Olympian and mixed martial arts champion Daniel Cormier wrote, “For a guy who struck fear into so many people’s hearts, Anthony Johnson was a caring person.”
Between 2007 and 2017, Johnson competed in the UFC, losing two light heavyweight title matches to Daniel Cormier. Johnson made a name for himself as a formidable puncher and a fan favorite for his aggressive, striking-based style of mixed martial arts while competing for the UFC in three different weight classes.
Following his second title loss to Cormier in the UFC, Johnson retired from the sport in 2017. However, he competed once more for Bellator in 2021 before his health issues got worse.
How Long Was Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson in the UFC?
Johnson was active in the UFC until 2020, having competed in the welterweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight weight classes. He had an outstanding record of 22 victories and 6 losses at the end of his UFC career.
After taking a four-year hiatus from mixed martial arts, Johnson announced his retirement one year later, intending to make his Bellator debut in 2021. He was supposed to defend the Bellator light-heavyweight championship at the time after defeating José Augusto Azevedo Barros via second-round knockout.
But because of his health, he had to withdraw. When news of Johnson’s passing broke in November 2022, condolences flowed in, acknowledging his significant contribution to mixed martial arts sports.
