Written off, but victorious, Timothy Johnson says there's more to come after upset win at Bellator 239
THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Timothy Johnson felt a little slighted by the betting odds going into Bellator 239.
Johnson (13-6 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) came up big as a heavy underdog, when he knocked Tyrell Fortune out of the ranks of the unbeaten with a big right hand in the first round.
Johnson’s upset victory meant he was able to avoid a three-fight losing skid, while also picking up his first promotional win. The former UFC fighter was written off from the start, but was confident that he was going to deliver come fight night.
“I did, no one else really did and, from what I’m hearing, the commentators didn’t really, either,” Johnson told reporters, including MMA Junkie after his victory. “But I think I had a good fight plan and I implemented it and, all things said and done, I don’t think Tyrell has anything to hang his head about, he’s still going to be awesome. He’s so young in the heavyweight division, it’s ridiculous. With that said also, I think a lot of people were kind of counting me out.
“I went 4-3 in the UFC, fought some really tough guys there, came here, I fought two of the top guys in the heavyweight division and did not go my way, and people were really quick to write me off and I just did not want to be a stepping stone. I refused to let that happen tonight.”
Johnson’s first two fights with Bellator were quick first-round knockout losses, but they came against the division’s best in Cheick Kongo and former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov.
But now that he’s back in the win column, Johnson hopes to string together a few wins and make his own run at the title.
“That’s the gameplan,” he said. “Hopefully this wasn’t a fluke and the body keeps up with me and I’m able to rack up a couple of wins here. Like I said, I think a lot of people were calling me out, thinking I was on my way out the door and I’m not even close – that’s not me. It’s the practice room, I’m fighting Francis Ngannou, Carl and Roy (Nelson) and all these guys and I’m hanging with them. It’s just I’m not able to put it together all the time in the cage.”