MMA fighter Anthony "Rumble" Johnson has passed away at 38 years old after battling with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
UFC president Dana White confirmed the news of his passing on Sunday.
"He was always a great kid. He was always in fun fights and he had that one-punch KO power that not many people ever had," White said of Johnson in a statement obtained by Yahoo Sports.
White also added that Johnson "was a good human being" and sent his condolences to his family.
MMA legend Daniel Cormier also shared a statement addressing Johnson's passing: "Rest Easy my brother. For a guy who struck fear in so many peoples heart Anthony Johnson was a caring person. From random text to check ins during loss. What a person he was, Rumble will be missed. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Horrible news."
Additionally, UFC's Michael Chiesa wrote on Twitter: "RIP Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. One of the most prolific KO artists our sport has ever seen. My prayers go out to his family and everyone affected by this tragedy."
Johnson went 13-6 in the UFC from 2007 through 2017 while compiling an overall MMA record of 23-6. Altogether, he competed at welterweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight in the UFC.
Known for his fierce punches, Johnson won 17 of his 23 MMA wins by knockout. He competed for the UFC light heavyweight title two times against Cormier; however, he lost both contests.
Johnson announced his decision to retire from the UFC in 2017 before joining Bellator MMA three years later.
Check out Daniel Cormier's and Michael Chiesa's statements below.
[Via]