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Anthony Johnson says goodbye to 'Rumble' following his retirement

Published Apr. 11, 2017 6:10 a.m. ET

Damon Martin

It's tough to utter the name Anthony Johnson without immediately attaching the nickname "Rumble" but that's exactly what will happen now that arguably the most devastating knockout striker in the UFC has decided to call it a career.

Johnson shocked the world on Saturday night at UFC 210 when he announced his retirement from fighting following a second-round submission loss to light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

On Monday, Johnson bid farewell to the sport one more time while also saying goodbye to the nickname that's become so synonymous for him in mixed martial arts.

"A new beginning starts today and I am so happy about that," Johnson wrote on Instagram. "My body can recover and I can focus on something different other than MMA. My life has been amazing and I haven't come close to scratching the surface.

"I'll miss MMA and every aspect of the game, but my time is over and I'm ready to watch the new generation take over. Now I can be Anthony Johnson/AJ and not Anthony "Rumble" Johnson! Thank you all for the love and support throughout the years. The end of "Rumble"."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BStDlgMBSRZ/?hl=en

Rumors have swirled since Saturday night that Johnson had accepted an off-field position with an NFL team, but he hasn't made any kind of confirmation about his new career after announcing his retirement.

Johnson was best known throughout his career as one of the most ferocious power punchers the sport has ever known, with a long list of knockout victims throughout his time spent in the UFC competing at both welterweight and light heavyweight.

Johnson has stated that if his new career doesn't pan out, he can always return to fighting but for now it appears he's resigned to forge a new path that doesn't involve mixed martial arts.

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