5 opponents for Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson when he returns to Bellator

No.4-ranked Bellator light heavyweight contender Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson is one of the most feared knockout artists in MMA. The former UFC title challenger made his long-awaited return to Bellator last year as part of the light heavyweight Grand Prix. Unfortunately, he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an illness and has been out of action since.

Scott Coker has provided optimistic updates in the past few months which could indicate that Johnson's return is realistic. He won his Grand Prix bout and was scheduled to challenge Vadim Nemkov for the light heavyweight championship in the semi-finals. With that in mind, he will be treated as a top contender when he returns and rightfully so.

There are many intriguing bouts that the promotion could book and it will come down to timing. Depending on when it takes place, the promotion may want to take advantage and use his return to bolster an event. This list will look at five opponents for Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson when he returns to Bellator.

#5. No.7-ranked Bellator light heavyweight Karl Albrektsson

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Swedish light heavyweight @KarlAlbrektsson will return to the cage at #BellatorMilan on October 3rd, against Spain’s David Trallero. This bout will be on the prelims. https://t.co/F1cP2vzrCQ

Since losing to Phil Davis, it looks as though Karl Albrektsson is beginning to hit his stride in Bellator. He is the No.7-ranked light heavyweight, so a bout with Johnson would make sense in terms of rankings.

Prior to joining the promotion, Albrektsson made a name for himself while competing in RIZIN. During his stint in the Japanese promotion, he earned a win over current light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov. Based on his recent performances, a win over ‘Rumble’ could earn him a rematch with Nemkov.

‘King’ is currently riding a 4-fight winning streak during which he split time between the promotion and Superior Challenge. The winning streak has seen him defeat Amilcar Alves, Viktor Nemkov, Vladimir Mishchenko, and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov. Despite the majority of his wins coming via KO/TKO, Albrektsson has shown that he is not a one-dimensional fighter. He is capable of submitting his opponents and going the distance as well.