Anthony Johnson

By FCF Staff

Ryan Bader says fighters like Daniel Cormier and Josh Koscheck demonstrated that Anthony Johnson can be taken down and beaten, and “Rumble” is challenging “Darth” to test that assumption.

Johnson and Bader will meet in the headliner of UFC on FOX 18 tonight, which will take place in Newark, New Jersey. The bout is expected to determine who will challenge for the light-heavyweight belt next, after Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones meet for a second time.

Recently Bader spoke to UFC.com about the match-up, and the powerful wrestler noted that “good” wrestlers like Cormier and Kosheck took Johnson down and finished him. In the same report, Johnson was quoted saying the following:

“I know he’s going to try and wrestle with me. Once again everybody thinks that wrestling is my weakness. But if he wants to wrestle, come on,” Johnson said. “They want to think that I’m mentally weak, that’s fine. I hope they go into the fight with that mindset, because they’re in for a long night if they do.”

Johnson is coming off a stoppage win over Jimi Manuwa, after he was submitted by Cormier last May. Bader, meanwhile, has won five in a row.