Bellator boss mourns Anthony Johnson: “He was loved more than he knew”

MMA fighter Anthony Johnson recently passed away. Photo: Bellator MMA

Bellator president Scott Coker was in shock when he received the news of Anthony Johnson’s death this past Sunday. At the recent Bellator 288 weigh-ins, the president opened up on Johnson’s passing.

“Let me tell you, that was not an easy phone call to get. I just love that guy. He was like a gentle giant. People that really got to know him, they all loved him,” Coker told the reporters.

Even though “Rumble” is most known for his fights in the UFC, where he challenged for the 205 title, he fought his last bout in Bellator, and was loved by the whole company.

“Everybody loved that guy. Our entire staff really, really cared about him. It was devastating. It was a big loss.”

Read more: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson dead at 38 following rare illness

Anthony Johnson was a big fan-favourite

Anthony Johnson was one of the greatest knockout artists the sport of MMA ever seen, and a big fan-favourite all over the world.

“I was getting reports from the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times of Italy, France, anywhere where we were out there promoting fights, the local newspaper did a story on him. I’m starting to collect it, and it was fascinating. The guy was loved around the world. I think he was loved more than he knew, how much fans he had, how much impact he made,” Bellator president Coker said.

“Just getting to work with him in the last couple of years, you never think it’s going to have an ending like this so short. So it was a devastating day.”

Read more: Outspoken Dustin Poirier explains why he still fights: “I love that uncomfortable”

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