Middleweight a ‘Healthier’ Weight Class for ‘Rumble’

When Anthony Johnson collides with Vitor Belfort in the UFC 142 co-main event on Saturday at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it will mark his arrival in the middleweight division. A physical specimen who burst on the scene at 170 pounds, the man they call “Rumble” has been known to make one of the more drastic weight cuts in the sport. During a pre-fight teleconference for UFC 142, Johnson lauded the benefits of becoming a middleweight:

“Fighting at this weight is a lot of fun for me. This is easy. I’m 215 pounds right now. I am looking forward to fighting as a middleweight and being a better athlete, a thousand times healthier than I was at 170 pounds. You are going to see a new, more dangerous ‘Rumble’ at 185 pounds.”