MMA fighter Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson died: Anthony Johnson, a former fighter for the UFC and Bellator, is best known by his stage name Rumble, which he earned for his one-punch finishing ability dies at the age of 38, leaving the boxing community in profound sadness. Learn more about Anthony Johnson’s passing, the specifics of his sickness, and the Rumble cause of death.
What happened to Rumble?
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, a former MMA fighter, passed away on Sunday after a yearlong illness, a Bellator representative informed the Associated Press. He was 38.
🙏 It is with great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
The BELLATOR family is devastated by his untimely passing and we send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/TqZzN1wquY
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) November 13, 2022
Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson’s cause of death
The reason for death was organ failure brought on by non-lymphoma Hodgkin’s and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a rare immune system illness.
Johnson had a four-year break from competing after his UFC career before making a comeback with Bellator. At Bellator 258 in May 2021, he defeated Jose Augusto Azevedo Barros in his lone contest for the promotion.
At the time, he posted on Instagram, “Really wish I could go into depth about how ill I genuinely am. “Just know that I could use your prayers, and if God wills, I’ll see you in 2022. Never in my life have I felt this fear, but with the help of friends and family, I have managed to persevere.”
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Johnson’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, stated in late October that his health had deteriorated. He informed ESPN that Rumble was now having health issues. “very sad I ask that everyone pray for him. Pray for Anthony, who is struggling. Although spiritually strong, please pray for him.”
Anthony Johnson: Illness history Explained (SEP- 2021)
After being ejected from Bellator 268 due to a serious illness, Anthony Johnson provides a health update. Anthony Johnson, a seasoned MMA fighter who was forced to withdraw from tonight’s Bellator 268 competition due to a serious illness, has provided an update on his health.
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Rumble announced on social media four weeks ago that he had to drop out of the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix due to personal reasons.
Anthony Johnson was slated to face reigning Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov in tonight’s tournament semifinals before a serious illness derailed his title ambitions.
Kamaru Usman’s statement on Jhonson’s illness
One of Johnson’s closest friends was Kamaru Usman, a former welterweight champion of the UFC. Johnson was a reclusive man who tried to keep his condition a secret.
Usman stated the current UFC lightweight Michael Johnson, himself, Rashad Evans from the UFC Hall of Fame, and Johnson as “the magnificent four.”
Usman claimed on Sunday that some weeks ago, during a conversation with one of his coaches, he voiced worry that he would receive a call with unfavorable news.
Usman described him as like a turtle “Most of the time, he would remain in that shell, but occasionally, he would break out, reveal his true self, and interact with you. He would poke his head out, introduce himself, and then walk back inside.”
He claimed that Johnson visited his house a few months prior and that they had a pleasant talk, but even then, he was still missing some elements.
Usman remarked, “You know, that was kind of like [the late actor] Chadwick Boseman.” “Chadwick kept his problem a secret, so when he passed away in 2020, we were all astonished and taken aback. Rumble would tell you these casual tales while undergoing renal dialysis, but he never actually explained everything to you.
He didn’t want to experience unequal treatment. He didn’t want others to treat him differently as a result of what was happening when they saw him losing all this weight and going through these circumstances. He had such amazing athletic ability.
“He was able to transfer his heavyweight strength and welterweight footwork throughout his career. He didn’t really need to work because he was naturally gifted and remarkable. Although he believed he was working hard, there were levels he didn’t reach or perhaps didn’t want to reach.
He came naturally. I was very impressed by that. He made it seem simple. He would strike a man, and the man would immediately fall to the ground. I mean, I worked so hard and invested so much time, and then I’d come to my senses and slam into this person while he was still standing there. Rumble’s level of ability was higher than ours.”
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Cancer of the lymphatic system is referred to as lymphoma. A network of nodes (knots of tissue) and vessels make up the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes work together to remove fluid and waste from the body. By eliminating alien cells and organisms, the lymph nodes function as small filters.
White blood cells called lymphocytes aid in the defense against bacterial, viral, and fungal illnesses. The purpose of the lymph nodes is to stop infections from getting into the bloodstream.
Some of the lymph nodes in the infection area may become swollen and sensitive when the lymphatic system is actively combating an infection. The body responds to an illness in this way normally.
Lymphoma develops when lymphocytes or lymph node cells proliferate uncontrolled, generating malignant cells with the aberrant ability to infect other body parts.
Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the two main kinds of lymphoma. Certain distinctive traits of the various lymphoma cells account for the differences between these two types of lymphoma.
Based on the cell of origin (B-cell or T-cell) and the characteristics of the cell, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is further divided into several subtypes. The prognosis, the need for early therapy, the responsiveness to treatment, the kind of treatment required, and the Non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype are all predicted by the subtype.
Compared to Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is substantially more prevalent. The seventh most frequent cause of cancer-related fatalities in the US is non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common in Caucasians and men than in women, and the risk of having it rises with age. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in North America.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
A rare hematologic condition known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), also known by the British spellings hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and hemophagocytic or haemophagocytic syndrome, is more frequently encountered in youngsters than in adults.
It is a fatal disease of severe hyperinflammation characterized by the proliferation of morphologically benign lymphocytes and macrophages that release large amounts of inflammatory cytokines. The condition is brought on by the unchecked proliferation of activated lymphocytes and macrophages.
One of the cytokine storm syndromes is how it is categorized. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis can be brought on by inherited and non-inherited (acquired) factors.
American mixed martial artist Anthony Kewoa Johnson:
He participated for Bellator MMA in the light heavyweight class as well as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he repeatedly challenged for titles. Due to his one-punch knockout ability, he was known mostly by the moniker “Rumble.”
Before his retirement in April 2017, he was listed as the top light heavyweight contender in the official UFC rankings and as the second-best fighter in the world by Sherdog and ESPN. In May 2021, Johnson came out of retirement and won his last bout, a knockout victory over Jose Augusto.
Record breaking moments
- Before being signed by the UFC, the American had only engaged in three fights. In his first UFC fight, which he had agreed to do because another star was injured, he came out on top.
- In the first round, Johnson eliminated Chad Reiner in just 13 seconds, which was the ideal method for him to establish himself.
- Before joining the UFC circuit, Johnson had a 3-0 record, but after winning his first bout there, he went on to lose the following one.
- The American has competed in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight weight classes, defeating notable opponents like Ryan Bader and Alexander Gustafsson.
- American Anthony Johnson congratulates himself on defeating Ryan Bader through a technical knockout.
- Johnson, however, seems to have trouble getting along with Daniel Cormier.
- He lost both of his bouts with DC for the light heavyweight championship.
- In 2017, at UFC 210, he faced Cormier for the Light Heavyweight championship.
- Johnson misplaced it and hasn’t been spotted in an Octagon since.
- The American may have given up on the sport in 2017, but he was planning a comeback for 2020 and hoped to resume playing.
Tributes pouring in for Anthony Johnson
After hearing the news, several currents and former MMA competitors expressed their condolences on Twitter:
UFC president Dana White said,
“He was always a great kid,” UFC president Dana White said of Johnson. “He was always in fun fights and he had that one-punch KO power that not many people ever had. He was a good human being. I send my condolences to his family.”
Absolutely gutted dude was a monster in his prime. #riprumble pic.twitter.com/LLg4UmGaEj
— Tony Starch. (@OskieJGuerrero) November 13, 2022
Daniel tweeted,
Rest Easy my brother. For a guy who struck fear in so many people’s hearts, 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 #RIP #Rumblesquad
Yahoo Sports says, “non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.” https://t.co/jZwHmeNgkt
— DAL (@Diatheke777) November 13, 2022
Irish sam tweeted,
Out of all the interviews at #UFC281 I watched this today and it really hit me when I saw say this. I was thinking of it since I just see the news of #anthonyjohnson one of our favorite ever #mma fighters 38 years old…I just cannot believe it. #RIPAnthonyJohnson
Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson’s death caused by organ failure due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis 😢 #MMA #RumbleForever https://t.co/ELS7LbGEpO
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) November 14, 2022
Aeriel tweeted,
Horrible news: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson passed away today. He was 38 years old. Johnson had been battling an illness for quite some time. One of the hardest hitters and most talented fighters in MMA history. Gone way too soon. May he rest in peace
Highland said,
Helwani confirmed he had been fighting an illness for weeks, his manager had asked for prayers about a week ago and said he was not doing well. Shocking though, RIP Rumble
Rana tweeted,
RIP Champ! “Rumble” was a proper fighter who always put it all in the line and showed tremendous courage in the cage!
Bro cals said,
Damn bruh. We should have prayed harder – he was a good dude for real
Chris Taylor tweeted,
I can sadly confirm that Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson passed away this morning #RIP #MMA
Your tweet was quoted in an article by Sports Illustrated https://t.co/8vITEEYRTl
— Recite Social (@ReciteSocial) November 14, 2022
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.