Anthony Johnson comes in overweight for Titan FC 22

Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has come in overweight for this weekend’s Titan Fighting Championships, continuing a disturbing trend for the talented but troubled fighter. Ousted from the UFC after coming in heavy for a third time, Johnson found a new home at Titan FC and a date to fight David Branch at Middleweight on Saturday. However, he showed up at 194 lbs., nine pounds over the 185 lb. limit. In January, he weighed 197 lbs. for his Middleweight bout with Vitor Belfort, a fight where he was embarrassed both in and out of the Octagon with a first round submission loss while overweight.

Although David Branch also weighed over at 189 lbs., Johnson agreed to give him $4,000 out of his fight purse. The fight will go on as a catchweight bout at 195 lbs., but it is clear that being overweight is costing Johnson his prime fighting years, both monetarily and credibility-wise. Being only 28 years old, Johnson still has time to turn his path around. A move to Light Heavyweight should be in the cards for the man who has shown up heavy in 4 of his 15 professional bouts, an alarming number.

Johnson’s troubles show that he wants to maintain the biggest possible size and strength advantage over his opponents, but at what cost? Has he become completely unreliable as a fighter, a man with tons of striking talent and potential who is unwilling to abide by the rules and make weight as a professional. Perhaps his body has been ravaged by the extreme cuts he made down to 170 lbs., and the drop is just too hard to make these days. There is no doubt he could be a force if he focused on either making weight or just simply moved up a weight class to face men his own size. What will become of “Rumble?” Will we ever see him fight in the UFC again?

Further Reading: Anthony Johnson released from the UFC (Updated)