Tim Johnson looks like a very different fighter ahead of Bellator Europe 10. Not just in terms of his recent success, although he has certainly found that, stringing together a pair of knockout wins over prospect Tyrell Fortune and veteran Matt Mitrione.
Physically, however, Johnson (14-6) also looks slimmer. It’s obvious at first glance, and the Division II All-American confirmed it during this week’s Bellator Paris media day.
“I’m coming in a little bit lighter than I normally do,” acknowledged Johnson, who has been paired up atop the card in a rematch with Cheick Kongo. “Usually I walk around about 270, 274 on fight week, and kind of just drop down about five pounds. I think I’m coming in about 262 right now. Hopefully the next couple years, I’m just going to keep trimming down a little bit. My end goal is to be under 255 by next summer.”
We’ll know soon enough if the drop in weight has any in-cage benefits. The Kongo fight, however, is one Johnson has been after for a while. Admittedly, he was a bit surprised to get it as part of such a monumental event. Saturday marks the first time an MMA event has been held in France, at least legally.
“I guess I kind of was [surprised]. Just to reiterate, this isn’t some kind of vendetta against Cheick,” Johnson explained. “I could handle losing, but not the way I did. I think a lot of fighters would say that. As long as I go out there and put out a product that I’m happy with, I can handle a loss.”
For those that missed it, Johnson’s first fight with “The Darkness” was his Bellator MMA debut in 2018. He’d entered the promotion off a win in the UFC. In little more than a minute, he was knocked out by the French veteran.
“This fight isn’t against Cheick Kongo, this fight is against myself more than anything,” Johnson stated. He’s also looking at the bout as “a fresh start entirely. One way I can look at it, what’s the worst that can happen? The worst has already happened, to go out there and lose in under a minute. That’s ever fighter’s worst nightmare. It’s going to be a pretty easy bar to set to do better than I did last time.”
Getting to be part of a historic card is a nice bonus. “No matter what happens, I know I will always be attached to some sort of history,” observed Johnson. There’s another upside as well, of course. A win over Kongo would make it three straight in Bellator’s heavyweight division. Which could put Johnson in line for a title shot against champ Ryan Bader.
“I’m not 100% sure on that, I’m not really going to talk on that right now,” said Johnson. “I’ve done that in the past, where I’m already looking at where a fight will get me. Right now, it’s just Cheick, but at the same time, I understand the weight of this fight.”
After beating Matt Mitrione, who was in the final four in the heavyweight grand prix, a win over Kongo, who just challenged for the title, would leave him in a good spot, Johnson believes. “I think at least it should put me in the conversation.”
Watch the full Bellator Paris media day scrum with Tim Johnson above. The event goes down live this Saturday, October 10.
