Anthony Johnson Backs Anderson Silva: He Didn’t Kill Anybody
UFC light-heavyweight contender Anthony Johnson made a big splash at UFC On FOX 14, as he blasted the highly touted number one Alexander Gustafsson in the very first round. Now eyeing a date with 205-pound champion Jon Jones, it looks like “Rumble” may have the biggest career turn around ever witnessed.
Johnson was renowned for his weight cutting issues during his first UFC stint. After missing the middleweight limit against Vitor Belfort by 12 pounds, “Rumble” was cut by the promotion after being submitted by the Brazilian. Since that night at UFC 142, AJ has won nine straight fights with three top 10 wins in the UFC. Talking to MMAFighting.com, Johnson says that he is a far cry from his old self:
“The old Anthony would still be partying, but now my moment of celebration is in the cage. I left a day after (the fight with Gustafsson). I saw my friends and family but it wasn’t a party or anything like that. I want to keep everything the way it’s been going; nice and relaxed and kicked back. I’m focused on what’s next.”
“I did, (I felt bad for him), it should of been Alex fighting instead of DC against Jones. He’s been to hell and back to get his rematch, and I felt bad for him when he was crying (after the fight). He’s the only guy I ever felt like that for. I was in shock the way it happened, or how fast it happened.”
What’s next is without doubt the biggest fight in Anthony Johnson’s career, and he faces a version of Jon Jones that is constantly getting better. “”Bones” recently dismantled Daniel Cormier in the later rounds of their UFC 182 showdown, making the upcoming bout with “Rumble” all the more intriguing. AJ continued:
“People told me I’m on steroids because I shouldn’t be able to hit that hard, but I’m like ‘yeah, whatever’. After this fight though, a lot of people Stateside showed me love, even fans from Sweden reached out to me.”
“There was no head butt. I don’t remember touching him at all, when he threw the front kick, I didn’t even get a fresh hit on him. I don’t remember a head butt, he said he didn’t. If you look at it from the side it looks like a head butt, I don’t remember head butting him but if I did I apologize because I’m not a dirty fighter. “
Johnson was then quizzed about his team mate Rashad Evans‘ comments on Gustafsson buying in to his own hype:
“You didn’t win the title, so don’t act like you’re that guy. He could’ve been feeling his own hype, I have no idea. The UFC told me May (for the Jones fight). (Jones) has fought the best of the best, but he hasn’t fought anyone with knockout power like I have. He’s the champ, a crazy athlete, I don’t have anything against the guy. Dan Henderson has his opinion with Jon Jones, if he wants to get in to that he can be one of the gossip girls if he wants. It’s just about business for me.”
AJ then moved on to the hot topic of Anderson Silva’s failed drug test, saying that he feels the former middleweight champion’s legacy shouldn’t be tarnished:
“To me, he’s not the same as he used to be, not since he got knocked out and got his leg broke. He is still one of the greats to me, he is a crazy athlete. He did so much before, so this one thing shouldn’t tarnish the man. He didn’t kill or rape anybody, he just took a supplement to keep his body going.”
Agree or disagree with him, Anthony Johnson is a straight forward and realistic guy.
