Former UFC standout Anthony Johnson debuts in Bellator against a Brazilian this Friday

A. Johnson (left) faces J. Gugu (right) in the Bellator 258. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

It took a while, but it arrived. After more than three years of inactivity, former UFC standout, Anthony JohnsonFinally, he will resume his career. Without fighting since 2017, the North American makes his Bellator debut against José Augusto 'Gugu', in an event confirmed for this Friday (7), in Uncasville (USA). The event will feature 12 presentations and will end with the bantamweight belt fight (up to 61,2kg) between Juan Archuleta and Sergio Pettis.

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In addition to Johnson's debut and the title fight in the last fight of the night, Brazilians will have plenty of reasons to watch the show. In the show, Patricky Pitbull, Raphael Carvalho and Weber Almeida will take to the battlefield and represent the country on the card that promises excitement.

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Sports fans will be able to follow the preliminary card via YouTube, on the official Bellator channel, starting at 18:30 pm. The rest of the clashes will be shown on ESPN Brasil.

Johnson x 'Gugu'

Former challenger for the UFC light heavyweight (up to 93kg) belt, Anthony Johnson will not face the previously chosen opponent. This Friday, the North American should exchange forces against the iconic Yoel romero. The Cuban, however, failed medical exams days before the event and ended up withdrawing from the long-awaited contest.

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Willing to make history, José Augusto 'Gugu' didn't think twice and accepted the commitment to test himself – at the last minute – against Anthony. The Bahian, who debuted with a great victory in Bellator just over a month ago, left Brazil, went through the weigh-in and is looking to achieve the biggest triumph of his career to date.

The last time he was seen in action, Johnson was competing for the belt in the 93kg category. from the UFC. At the time, the 'giant' shared the octagon with Daniel Cormier and tried to surprise the legend. In the fight, however, 'Rumble' ended up succumbing to his opponent's talent and was submitted in the second round.

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Younger and looking to further elevate his name in MMA, José Augusto, aged 29, is heading towards the 11th commitment in his professional career in the sport. For the challenge, 'Gugu' arrives motivated by five consecutive victories and has not known what it's like to lose since 2014.

At 37 years old, Anthony now has 28 professional fights in mixed martial arts. The veteran has 22 triumphs and six setbacks.

The clash between the fighters will mark the debut of both in the company's light heavyweight tournament. Whoever wins will advance to the next stage and get closer to the grand final, which is valid for the division belt, as well as a prize worth US$1 million (around R$5,2 million).

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Belt dispute

Although the debut of Anthony Johnson is a big attraction for the event, a title fight will be responsible for closing the card. In the main fight, bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta will put his title on the line against Sergio Pettis, younger brother of Anthony 'Showtime'.

Champion of the category since September 2020, Archuleta will put his title on the line for the first time. A Bellator athlete since 2018, the fighter is going through a great phase within the organization and has only one defeat with the company's gloves, which occurred in 2019, when he moved up to featherweight (up to 65,7kg.) and tried to take the 'crown' from the legendary Patrick Pitbull.

After an unstable stint in the UFC, Pettis was selected for a title fight in his third fight in Bellator. Brother of Anthony 'Showtime', the fighter debuted in the organization in January 2020 and, since then, has had two positive results.

More Brazil

In addition to the presence of José Augusto 'Gugu', the main card will feature Patricky Pibull, who dreams of fighting for the lightweight title (under 70,3kg). Aiming for the absolute top of the group, which today belongs to his brother, Patrício, the Brazilian will exchange forces with Peter Queally. The Potiguar comes from a career defeat and is trying to recover against the Irish.

Experiencing a difficult time in the organization, Raphael Carvalho comes under pressure for this Friday's challenge. In Bellator since 2014, the Rio native has lost four of his last five fights and, this time, he wants to win in the clash with Lorenz Larkin. Tupiniquim's last victory took place in July 2019, when he overcame Chidi Njōkuani.

The first Brazilian to perform on the show, he seeks to further consolidate his perfect trajectory in MMA. Undefeated in five fights as a professional in the sport, the fighter fights Johnny Soto in the second fight of the night. The clash will be valid for the featherweight division (up to 65,7kg), currently led by Patrick Pitbull.