Retired UFC Light Heavyweight Anthony Johnson Arrested for Domestic Violence

Anthony Johnson has been arrested on charges of domestic violence after an argument with his girlfriend allegedly got physical.

According to a police report obtained by TMZ Sports, the alleged victim claimed that Johnson picked her up and “put her in a football hold” to carry her into another room as she attempted to pack his belongings to throw him out of the house. The woman added that she was “scared due to his size and martial arts experience.”

Police confirmed that the woman did not have any visible injuries. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger admitted to grabbing and carrying his girlfriend but claims that he didn’t have any intention of hurting her. Instead, he claims he was tired of arguing. Police nonetheless took Johnson into custody on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

It’s not the first time Johnson has faced domestic violence allegations. He was suspended indefinitely by the UFC in late 2014 after the mother of his two children filed a police report alleging that she was receiving death threats from Johnson’s friends. In the report, she also claimed that Johnson knocked out two of her teeth when he hit her in the face in 2012.

“Rumble” was reinstated by the UFC in November 2014 when the complaint against Johnson was dismissed in Florida Circuit Court. The organization also claimed to have conducted its own independent investigation into the matter.

Also in 2014, an ex-girlfriend accused Johnson of stalking her at her workplace and on one occasion, lifting her by her shirt and grabbing her right arm. As a result, the woman was left with bruising on her right forearm and a reddish scratch mark near her right collarbone.” Ultimately, the woman elected not to pursue charges against Johnson.

Johnson was also arrested in 2009 following an altercation with a different woman. He was charged with domestic violence, battery, death threats and destroying a phone to prevent the report of a crime. Johnson would plead “nolo contendere” in 2010 to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence and was sentenced to three years probation, community service and domestic violence counseling.

Johnson, 35, returned from MMA following a second-round submission loss to Daniel Cormier in a 205-pound title bout at UFC 210 on April 8, 2017. “Rumble” won six of his eight bouts during his second Octagon tenure, posting victories over the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Phil Davis, Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira. He was 22-6 over the course of a professional career that began in 2006.