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Former UFC fighter Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson is seeking a return to the Octagon after losing to Daniel Cormier over two years ago.
Anthony Johnson (@Anthony_Rumble) is planning a UFC comeback in 2020, per his manager Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00). Plan is to fight at heavyweight. More details here: https://t.co/SNMuEBxkdi
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 27, 2019
Via ESPN
Johnson, 35, intends to return to competition in 2020, according to his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. The plan is for Johnson, a former two-time title challenger at light heavyweight, to compete in the heavyweight division.
According to Abdelaziz, Johnson (22-6) will soon file paperwork to rejoin the UFC’s mandatory drug program. The UFC’s anti-doping partner, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), requires any athlete coming out of retirement to be subject to a six-month testing window before a return to competition.
Johnson, who last fought at light heavyweight, plans to move up and is looking to fight top heavyweight contenders.
Johnson and his team have already taken that requirement into consideration, as Abdelaziz told ESPN they are targeting a return in March 2020. Abdelaziz added Johnson is interested in potential fights against ranked opponents, such as Junior Dos Santos or Alistair Overeem.
Rumble was a top 5 light heavyweight when he left and has always been an exciting fighter to watch so it’s pretty cool to see him back.