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Retired 'Rumble' Johnson planning UFC return in 2020

Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC / UFC / Getty

Anthony "Rumble" Johnson intends to end his retirement and return to the UFC in 2020, his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

The former two-time light heavyweight title challenger plans to compete in the heavyweight division.

The 35-year-old is set to enter the United States Anti-Doping Agency's drug program, which requires an unretiring fighter to be subject to testing for six months before being allowed to compete.

Abdelaziz told Okamoto that Johnson (22-6) will target his return for March 2020, with potential ranked opponents including Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.

Johnson surprisingly retired in April 2017 after losing a rematch with then-light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

He went 12-1 in 13 fights prior to that defeat, with the only loss coming in his first bout with Cormier. Known as one of the UFC's top knockout artists, Johnson earned nine of his 12 wins over that stretch via stoppage.

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