titelmatchen mellan Anthony Johnson vs Daniel Cormier blev inte av då Cormier ådragit sig en skada. Flertalet fighters har visat intresse att ersätta Cormier, bland andra Tim Kennedy och Gegard Mousasi.
UFC lockade med ett interimbälte om han accepterat fighten mot Mousasi men avstod från den chansen. Johnson menade att det är en match som inte ger honom något, och att interimbältet kan kvitta.
They offered me Gegard (Mousasi) and nothing against Gegard but fighting him means nothing. He’s an 85-pounder, former light heavyweight fighter, he’s good, he’s tough and some of my guys were like that’s an easy fight. Other people I know were saying that’s an easy fight I should take it. But Gegard ain’t no punk. The man can fight. I think people don’t realize how good he really is, but besides the point, it was pointless for me.
If I go out there and fight him and win, it means nothing. I’m the fake champ. That’s really what the interim champ is. He’s the fake champ and if I lose, I start from scratch, I lose everything. I’m not going to take that chance. I said I’ll wait and take my chances on DC but I’ve got some things in mind, I might try and do at different weight classes.
Men en risk Johnson är villig att ta är steget upp till tungvikt. Det är något han lovat sig själv göra innan UFC-karriären är över.
Yeah. I’ll fight heavyweight. If it’s a fun fight, I’d definitely try it out. I always said I was going to go up to heavyweight in the UFC before I retired anyways. I might as well try it out if I get the opportunity. There’s some good heavyweights out there. Those boys are big, so I’m definitely taking a big risk and a big chance fighting those guys. I look forward to the challenge.
If I fight, it has to be at heavyweight because at 205, it’s just not worth it.
Johnson har i sina tre senaste matcher avslutat alla sina motståndare via ren knockout och står på ett fighter-facit med 22 vinster och 5 förluster.
