News broke to the MMA world earlier today that two-time UFC title challenger Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson passed away earlier today. It was well known that he’d been battling illness in recent times, but it is unknown what exactly his cause of death was. Let’s take a look back at his legacy in his honor:

Legacy

A look at the body of work accrued by the late legend

Anthony Johnson held the record for most knockouts in UFC history. Credits to: Zuffa LLC

For a long time, the most feared striker in the world had a name, and his name was Anthony Johnson. Johnson possessed an other-worldly ability to knock any opponent out cold with a single touch. His resume of finishes includes UFC legends such as Alexander Gustaffson, Glover Teixeira, and Andrei Arlovski.

His story in the UFC began at Welterweight where he showed early signs of his potential but didn’t seem to realize it quite yet. It wasn’t until he returned at Light Heavyweight years after having been cut from the organization due to weight issues that he truly lived up to the best of his abilities. Several knockouts over elite contenders saw him earn 2 title shots against Daniel Cormier, and though he came short both times, the fights he gave ‘DC’ will never be forgotten.

Following retirement and a 4-year layoff from mixed martial arts, ‘Rumble’ continued his legacy in Bellator where he had his final fight against Jose Augusto Azevedo. After weathering an early storm, Johnson showed his patented power one last time and sparked his opponent out cold to return to the win column.

The MMA community deeply mourns the loss of one of its finest ever, and the Verdict Community wishes the best to his family and friends.