Anthony Johnson Interview OTM: We are here with Anthony Johnson at the International MMA expo, so Anthony how’s the eye? It looks better? How is it?
Johnson: It’s going good; I just had surgery so everything is almost 100%. Well right now I’m more like 70% so I have 3 more weeks and I will be 100%. So I am good to go.
OTM: After the fight you showed a lot of sportsmanship with the way you accepted the decision, now tell us how you felt about it after the fight.
Johnson: You know what Mazzagatti called what he saw, he was on the side of where I blocked on my left side. Burns hit me with an open palm strike and threw an uppercut and the way I flew back he only saw the uppercut so he thought that is what I got hit with, which I didn’t. If I was the ref I probably would have made the same call, like I said he didn’t see Burns Eye gouge me. I’m fine with it, life goes on he did apologize to me and it is what it is.
OTM: For fans that didn’t know what was going on with your eye, what was the doctor’s diagnosis of what happen to it?
Johnson: Basically his finger went so deep in my eye that my retina was detached also I had a laceration from one end of the eye to the other. So I ended up getting laser surgery to reattach my retina and I have stitches on my eyeball. I didn’t even know they could do that.
OTM: When you saw the doctor was there a chance you could have lost your eye sight?
Johnson: I got it taken care of right away so my vision was not in danger at all; you know what I’m saying? To be honest with you I am ready to go, I want to fight right now but the doctor says no.
OTM: Are you looking to have an immediate rematch with Burns?
Johnson: No, I mean I don’t think I really have anything to prove. I was winning two rounds and there was only a 1:30 left, so I was going to win unless he knocked me out. There is really no reason for me to rematch him unless he wants a rematch just that bad, you know what I mean? I will give him one if he wants a rematch but there is really no point of trying to rematch a guy, I do respect him but like I said it’s no point.
OTM: We do remember catching up with you at a Fatal Femmes Fighting Championship I believe after your first appearance in the UFC. You talked about wanting to fight Diego Sanchez, are you still looking for that fight?
Johnson: I’m jus looking to fight whoever, you know what I mean? When I called out Diego I was young and just wanted to fight somebody and now I’m like whatever? I will fight whoever they put me up against, Diego has been beaten twice and you know he was like the man at the time because he was undefeated. I want to fight the best and become a world champion one day. You know if they put me up against Diego I will fight him or whoever. I’m not calling out anybody wait you know what I take that back I call out everybody in the 170lbs div, (Laughs) you know that will settle it all.
OTM: Now we have seen you fight since your first in Pangea Fights in 2006, how do you think as a fighter you have changed?
Johnson: A lot, I have changed gyms a lot you know what I mean. I have changed my fighting style a lot but regardless of that I go out there and do the best I can and give 110%. I have matured a lot bro, a lot and everything has gotten better in my head just the way I act and the way I carry myself the way I fight. Even with the people I hang out with, everything has changed and got better for me.
OTM: Well thank you very much for the interview Anthony.
Johnson: you’re welcome.