Anthony Johnson injures knee; Withdraws from TUF 9 Finale fight against Matt Brown
by MMAmania.com on May 19, 2009 11:23 AM EDT
60 comments
Surging UFC welterweight standout Anthony Johnson (7-2) has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming 170-pound showdown against Matt Brown (9-7) because of a "severe" knee injury sustained while training, according to FiveOuncesOfPain.com.
No replacement for the hard-hitting "Rumble" is known at this time. But we can likely expect an announcement to come sooner rather than later with The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale at "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, scheduled for June 20, which is about five weeks from today.
Johnson most recently avenged his controversial loss to Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 last December, knocking the Iowan senseless with a brutal head kick in the opening seconds of round three. He followed that up with a first round destruction of Luigi Fioravanti at UFC Fight Night 17 back in February.
The 24-year-old Atlanta, Ga., native has a ton of buzz because of his size, power and fight-finishing ability. He appears to get better each time out, training with Strikeforce champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.
His road to the upper echelon of 170-pound fighters, however, will now be put on indefinite pause until he can recover from this latest setback.
Diego Sanchez is expected to headline TUF 9 Finale in a lightweight match against Clay Guida, and Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz are also booked to tangle in another fantastic 155-pound showdown.
The lightweight and welterweight finales from this season of TUF, which is currently in progress with coach Dan Henderson leading a U.S. team against coach Michael Bisping and his British squad, will also be featured on the televised Spike TV main card on June 20.
For more on TUF 9 Finale click here.
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No way, i was really looking forward to this one.
by Nick J on May 19, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ME 2- This is guy is too good, and is gettign better and better, just wish he would find a better camp and get ride of that bitch of a fighter Cung Le (yes i hate him).. if this guy gets a couple of more wins i’d love to see him fight fitch or Ben Saunders or even Mike Swick- all three would be equal to him in size.
by ricky on May 19, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
why move? the guy went from an explosive wrestler to having the most exciting fights around, his kickboxing is amazing now..
i think he would tool swick but he isn’t ready for a fitch or koscheck not yet he needs another year or so
by randy murders on May 19, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was about to request Dustin McLovin Hazelett as a replacement, but I remembered they are both from Jorge Gurgel’s gym (right?).
BTW, when is McLovin fighting again?!?!
by Synyster on May 19, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dustin is recovering from knee surgery or something isn’t he?
by DSmith on May 19, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
don’t know about a knee but an injury non-the-less
by McArthur on May 19, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gutted about this news. I was really looking forward to the fight.
Just to cheer you up I thought I’d post this….LMAO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5zjL05yn3Q
Anderson Silva fighter impersonations!!
Funny stuff….especially like the Royce impression.
by Ca$z on May 19, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
5 weeks is enough tiome to find a suitable replacement!
I say they should book Matt Brown vs. Chris Lytle!
by john on May 19, 2009 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lytle and Matt Brown actually fought a few years ago. I believe Lytle won with a guillotine. I’m sure a rematch would be an awesome fight though.
by metalnick on May 20, 2009 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
DAMN!!! I was soooo looking for ward to seeing Rumble again…. this could have been one of the best fights of 2009.
by DJ on May 19, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This was gonna be a really good scrap. Hope he recovers quickly.
by DSmith on May 19, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
“He appears to get better each time out, training with Strikeforce champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.” No doubt Cung Le is the one taking lessons from Rumble Johnson. Rumble would rip Cung Le to shreds.
by RedDog on May 19, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
um no, Rumble is taking lessons from Cung..
by RoB on May 19, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it’s one thing to rip on Cung when you’re comparing him to Anderson Silva, but it’s a completely different thing when you’re comparing him to Rumble. Rumble has a ton of potential, but is still relitively untested.
by LJ on May 19, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
RoB – You never actually merit a response. You are a troll.
LJ – Who has Cung Le fought that makes him so tested?
by RedDog on May 19, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Please o please say he fought Frank Shamrock! lol hahaha
by RedDog on May 19, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no one, and I agree, Rob writes crazy stuff that hardly ever merits a response! Le has fought NO ONE!!!!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
thats what he’ll say. Frank was last relevant when he fought Tito!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t want any response!? you are a troll, you don’t think i know that Anthony beats Cung in a real fight?
Cung is an educated striker that’s why he’s giving Anthony lessons you moron..
by RoB on May 19, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you’re the expert kevin i know.. your sh*t requires a response almost everytime because you don’t know what you’re talking about
by RoB on May 19, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sometimes you’re off the wall Rob! I agree with you sometimes, and apologize for being so harsh. It’s just when you’re over the top, it’s totally from left field!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cung would work with Anthony and give him lessons in striking every day of the week, he’s 36 and has done it through his whole life, to think that Anthony teaches Cung how to strike is what’s crazy..
by RoB on May 19, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have an apology coming Rob, don’t get all out of control. Sometimes I actually think your kidding with your posts, but you do have an objective opinion…I don’t need to agree all the time to realize you’re speaking from the heart!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ha… Matt brown dodged a bullet here. Hopefully Johnson makes a full recovery soon. Really looking forward to seeing him back in the cage.
by Cole on May 19, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he sure did! I was really looking forward in seeing Brown get demolished as well as seeing Rumble fight!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think the Immortal would be demolished that easily. He could put up a scrap and make Rumble work for the W. I was actually goin’ with the Immortal on this one. For some strange reason, I just don’t like the shape of Rumble’s head.
by Syd[a.k.a."the Negation"] on May 19, 2009 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh crap – I hope his career isn’t affected. So many athletes are put down for good by knee injuries, and many who recover are never the same again.
by Drake_Labatt on May 19, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
DAMN….I REALLY wanted to see him demolish Matt Brown. Lot’s of boring fights lately and this was going to be my pick-me-up!
by Dugout on May 19, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He would have gotten a reality check against Brown.
by Green Inferno on May 19, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re kidding, right? Trust me – Johnson would have tooled Brown.
by Dugout on May 19, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He could tool Brown, but he won’t have an eassy time. He’s too nitty-gritty to get tooled by rumble.
by Syd[a.k.a."the Negation"] on May 19, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This one really comes at a bad time for all. Johnson is one of the most exciting fighters in UFC, I always look forward to his fights. Hopefully he can return before the year’s out.
by DCRage on May 19, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
BOOOO! Damnit, I was really looking forward to this fight too.
by O damn he got caught on May 19, 2009 11:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
LMFAO. that picture never gets old. he took tommy speers soul that night.
by FingerMeElmo87 on May 19, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i know. speers wasn’t sure where he was for a long time.
by JB on May 19, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Demolish Brown? Yeah. This would have been a great fight. Damn it.
by Big Daddio on May 19, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
These guys need to look over their training…I mean these injuries all the time really suck.. = p
by evilstuntz on May 19, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
God damn, I was looking forward to this fight.
by rydinlow on May 19, 2009 12:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i think condit would be too skilled for johnson.
chris lytle?
by JB on May 19, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Johnson’s not fighting, he’s out on injury, you mean Matt Brown?
by O damn he got caught on May 19, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol o damn. I agree, I like the condit idea!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
another good idea…forgot about that one
by McArthur on May 19, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ya Seriousy would like to see him fight condit to bad Im a fan of both!!!!!!!
by phlicutioner on May 19, 2009 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
way too many injuries lately…these guys are pushing themselves to hard…
by Robert(1) on May 19, 2009 2:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
HOPE THEY BRING BACK THIS FIGHT AS I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT
by denniskuderjr on May 19, 2009 2:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Im paying the ufc game right now if anyone dares to challenge me send me an invite my xbl gamertag is FWP
by phlicutioner on May 19, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Haha, probably realised he needed more time to train for Matt Brown. If they ever to happen to fight, Brown will show this clown up.
by jayshogun on May 19, 2009 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
lmao, will you TUF super fans ever stop? Matt Brown is an average fighter on his best day! He defeats Pete Sell and you think he’s a god! Rumble will kill him, I’ll bet anything on that!
by kevin on May 19, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
FUCK IT – I was looking forward to seeing Matt Brown shock the world! Look forward to seeing him compete regardless.
by DownUnder on May 19, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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