Anthony Johnson looks to get back in the title picture as he gears up to face Ryan Bader -- perhaps the hottest fighter in the light heavyweight division -- on January 30, 2016 in the main event of UFC on FOX 18 in Newark, N.J.
A victory over "Darth" won't necessarily guarantee him a shot at the strap, but it will give him two wins in a row and help his case should he decide to lobby for another championship bout. And in his perfect scenario, he'd face Jon Jones in a five round world title fight.
His words on UFC.com:
"I want to fight DC again, but at the end of the day, Jon is the original champion and he's still the champion in my eyes. So I definitely want a chance to fight him. He's the greatest ever at light heavyweight, and I'm all about challenges, so I want to see what I have to offer Jon Jones and I want to test myself and see what I can do against a guy of that caliber."
First things first, as "Rumble" knows he has a stiff test ahead of him in Bader, who has won five fights in a row and is hungry to finally get his first shot at UFC gold.
But, if you think there's going to be a heavy does of trash talk and animosity ahead of their 205-pound showdown, your highly-mistaken, as Anthony says he has nothing but good things to say about his "awesome" foe.
"He's improving day in and day out. He used to just be a wrestler, but he knows how to strike now, he knows how to mix it up very well, he's got good stamina and he's a strong guy and a big guy who moves very well. There's not anything that I can say that's negative about Ryan. Ryan Bader is an awesome fighter."
The aforementioned Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are expected to collide for the second time in the first quarter of 2016 for "DC's" division strap.
The winner will likely already have an opponent lined up, as UFC on FOX 18 should provide the next title challenger.
Anyone care to lay out some predictions?