It’s not even been two months since 33-year-old Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson shocked the MMA world by announcing his retirement, but it seems he may already be rethinking that decision.
“I’m getting that itch! Show these boy’s how to throw an uppercut the Right way!” Johnson declared after watching a terrific performance by Alexander Gustafsson against Glover Teixeira at UFC Fight Night 109 last night.
Johnson knows both fighters well, having TKO’d Gustafsson in Sweden two years ago, and KO’d Teixeira last year.
If ‘Rumble’ did return it would be somewhat of a surprise, not only because it’s been mere weeks since he made the decision, but also because he was so adamant about the fact that he was no longer interested in fighting.
“I’m tired of getting punched by guys and rolling around on the ground with guys and stuff like that,” Johnson had stated in the Octagon after a submission loss to current champion, Daniel Cormier. “Ain’t nothing fun about that.”
Later that same month after watching UFC Fight Night 108, Johnson still seemed content with his decision to hang up his gloves and was warning others that perhaps it was time to follow in his footsteps.
“Watched some of the fights last night and I’ll tell you this,” Johnson had wrote on Facebook. “Know when to hang em up! If you’ve already been knocked out in about your last 5-6 fights isn’t that your body saying ‘I’ve had enough’?
“I get that it’s a macho, I have bigger balls than you sport but man some of these dudes are going to forget their name by the time they’re 45. Good luck with that.”
Johnson had previously indicated that he had a lucrative new job lined up outside of fighting that he wasn’t ready to reveal yet, but a couple of weeks ago he let the world know that he was partnering up to get into the medical marijuana business.
In the same podcast with pro-wrestling star Booker T, Johnson said health concerns were partly on his mind when he made his decision to walk away from the sport, and also claimed that he had no intention of changing his mind.
“When I say I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it. I’m finished, man. … I’m not about that life anymore.”
A fortnight later it seems he may be singing a different tune, and if so that would be great news for the UFC as their light-heavyweight division is looking a little threadbare right now and ‘Rumble’ would instantly step straight back into the top 5 if he did return.
