Bellator MMA announced Johnson’s death on social media on Sunday. A Bellator spokesman said Johnson had been ill for more than a year. “The BELLATOR family is devastated by his untimely death and we send our condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time,” the statement read. During his career, Johnson had 17 knockouts and six decisions. His last race was in May 2021. In September 2021, Johnson posted on Instagram that he needed “as many prayers as I can” and was battling, noting that it was “NOT COVID.” On May 17, Johnson posted on Instagram that he had received good news from his doctor, saying there were “big improvements.” But in late October, Johnson’s manager spoke to ESPN, saying Johnson was “going through some health issues right now … he’s not doing well.” Daniel Cormier, a two-time Olympian and MMA fighter, offered his condolences online, saying “for a guy that scared the crap out of so many people (sic) at heart (he) was a caring man.” “From random text to check-in when lost,” Cormier said. “What a man he was… sometimes life just doesn’t seem fair.” Johnson fought in the UFC from 2007 to 2017, most notably losing twice to Daniel Cormier in lightweight title bouts. Johnson competed in three weight classes for the UFC and built a reputation as a powerful puncher and fan favorite for his aggressive, striking-based approach to MMA. Johnson retired in 2017 from the UFC after his second title loss to Cormier, but returned to competition with Bellator for a fight in 2021 before his health problems worsened.
