Anthony Johnson made a triumphant return to the Octagon at UFC 172 earlier this year by dominating top ranked light heavyweight contender Phil Davis for 15 minutes.
A fight that marked "Rumble's" first inside the Octagon since getting the boot back in 2012 for failing to make weight for the third time during his tenure with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Soon thereafter, Johnson failed to make weight on the regional circuit, as well, prompting him to buckle down and make a change for the better. What followed was a move to the light heavyweight division, which proved to be a wise one, as he racked up six straight wins (one at heavyweight) including his victory over "Mr. Wonderful."
For Johnson, it was all a part of putting his "big boy pants on" and getting his act together, as he recently told UFC.com.
Check it out:
"I just had to put on my big boy pants and start going in the right direction. When you start spiraling down, you have to remember where you come from and remember all the things you learned and were taught in life, and you don't want to see your friends, your family or anybody like that suffering more than you are when you're the one that caused it. When I missed '85 for the second time (against David Branch in 2012), I knew my body was changing - it wouldn't allow me to drop under 200 and when I did, I was hurting... bad. So it was time to make that change. I couldn't keep suffering like that - my coaches watching me in the sauna like I'm dead. That's not a good look for anybody."
Since making his UFC debut back in 2007, Johnson showed glimpses of an up-and-coming fighter who had all the potential to be a world champion on the biggest stage of them all.
But after an up-and-down first run with UFC, which included high-profile losses to Vitor Belfort and Josh Koscheck compounded with his weight issues, "Rumble" says he is no longer just an athletic fighter with all the potential in the world; he's a mature man who is looking to strike in his prime.
He explains:
"The careers in mixed martial arts aren't that long in my opinion. I was just like, `It's time to really go ahead and give this thing a push.' After being released from the UFC, I just had to kick my own self in the behind and I started to get my stuff together. I've been known as one of those guys that has the potential to give any champ a run for their money, but my weight was in the way. When I was younger, I really didn't care as much either. That's again where I started maturing because now I care. Back then I was an athlete that started learning how to fight. As an athlete, I felt I could get away with everything because of my athletic ability. It didn't matter if I could fight or not. Now I feel like I'm an actual fighter. Now I know that I know how to fight and now I'm putting it all together with my athletic ability and everything is working."
Indeed, his 15-minute schooling of Davis proved that Johnson has now come full circle and is ready to take his turn in the mixed martial arts (MMA) spotlight.
Next up will be an intriguing 205-pound scrap against Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, which goes down this weekend (Sat., July 24, 2014) at UFC on FOX 12 in San Jose, California. A victory would give "Rumble" two straight inside the Octagon and likely provide him a major boost in the rankings, getting him closer to a title shot that doesn't seem that far off.
For Johnson, a crack at the crown will be his chance to prove that the once-troubled fighter has truly overcome his demons on the scale and has become a man on the verge of reaching his full potential.
"The Rock," for one, thinks "Rumble" will reach his championship dreams sooner, rather than later.