With champ Ryan Bader busy, Timothy Johnson suggests interim Bellator heavyweight title fight

Timothy Johnson doesn’t foresee Bellator making any firm plans for the heavyweight division until champion Ryan Bader gets through his next fight.

Bader (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA), who hasn’t defended the Bellator heavyweight belt since September 2019, is currently preparing to be part of the eight-man light heavyweight grand prix, and is scheduled for an opening-round bout with Lyoto Machida at Bellator 257 on April 9.

If Bader loses that bout, he’s said he will immediately return to heavyweight for a title defense. If he makes a deep run in the tournament, though, it could mean two years or more without the belt being up for grabs.

That leaves a contender like Johnson (15-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), who has put together a three-fight winning streak, sitting idle.

“They haven’t talked to me directly, (only) indirectly through my agent Brian Butler,” Johnson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I can kind of put 2 and 2 together from what Bader’s been saying in interviews and what (Bellator president) Scott Coker has been saying in interviews. It’s kind of a holding pattern right now. We’re kind of waiting to see what happens with Ryan on April 9. Until then, I’m kind of handcuffed.”

Although Johnson isn’t keen on inactivity, he understands the situation. There was high demand to put together a 205-pound grand prix, and as a former champion of the division, Bader had to be involved.

“All the fans wanted this light heavyweight grand prix with the names and stuff, so I can’t hate on Bellator too much for giving the fans what they want,” Johnson said. “At the same time, I’m kind of sitting over here twiddling my thumbs because I want to fight. Sometimes you’ve got to be patient, I guess. It kind of sucks, but at the same time I understand. Ryan won the heavyweight tournament he was the light heavyweight champ. He just lost to Nemkov and he has an opportunity to do another tournament and get the title back. If I was in Ryan’s shoes I would probably do the same thing. Can’t hate on that. A chance to win a tournament and another million dollars? Can’t hate on that too much.”

Johnson said he doesn’t expect to get a fight until June, which is a bit frustrating, but fortunately he’s got some outside ventures to occupy his time. He turns 36 on March 13, though, and time is becoming increasingly more precious.

The conundrum, however, is that Johnson thinks he’s earned a shot at the belt by beating Cheick Kongo, Matt Mitrione and Tyrell Fortune in consecutive fights, He said he’s not interested in taking another fight unless a belt is up for grabs, even if it’s of the interim variety.

“If it’s for (an interim) title (I would fight anyone),” Johnson said. “After my fight with Kongo, I’ve always been a yes-man and a company man and I’ve never really been too selfish in that department, whether I was in the UFC or Bellator. This time around after that Kongo fight I was like, ‘I can be a little selfish.’ That would be a fight, if it’s for an interim or a title outright. But I think I can probably hold out for one of those two.”