"They can say whatever they want to say and put it out there however they want. I know the truth and I know the media and shit gonna try to twist it up. I don't care, but don't try to make me look like a bad dude whenever I ain't did nothing. If they are that bored with they life where they gotta dig up my stuff, then more power to them. And just to get the facts out there, the 52 weeks of DV Classes is over a course of 3 years, so I don't have to do it every single day for a year. But you know, the media twists shit up. I aint even worried about it. Just don't try to make me look like a bad dude," stated UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson as he set the record straight regarding inaccurate information that certain media outlets are reporting on his court case. You don't want to miss what he had to say.
PC: How are you doing, man?
AJ: I'm good, man.
PC: I know a couple of sites put it out there about your sentencing and everything about your case. You wanted to set the record straight, so what's up with the situation you were in?
AJ: Ain't shit with the situation. It's over with. I heard MMA Weekly had hit up my agent and I guess they so bored with they life, they wanna go and dig up somebody's case that's already settled. And I heard that MMA.tv is corny enough to go and dig up somebody's case for no damn reason really, like it's their business. They just bored as hell, but it's all good. I went to court last week or two weeks ago. I just wanted to get this case over with. It's a bunch of BS and they have been dragging on this thing for a whole year, you know? They tried to give me some jail time, but I was like, "Dude I'm not about to go to jail for some BS that I didn't do." So what happened was they tried to make some little bargain and come up with a deal talking about, "Plead no contest and we will give you 52 weeks of DV classes." Either way, they tried to make it seem like it was some kind of domestic violence that took place. But they offered 52 weeks of DV classes and we'll go with simple battery. That's fine; cool! As long as it's over with because I just want to move on with life, keep doing what I do and that's fight. They can say whatever they want to say and put it out there however they want. I know the truth and I know the media and shit gonna try to twist it up. I don't care, but don't try to make me look like a bad dude whenever I ain't did nothing. If they are that bored with they life where they gotta dig up my stuff, then more power to them.
And just to get the facts out there, the 52 weeks of DV Classes is over a course of 3 years, so I don't have to do it every single day for a year. But you know, the media twists shit up. I aint even worried about it. Just don't try to make me look like a bad dude. My agents are doing their thing and doing their best to try to protect me, but I ain't about to run from these dudes. Anybody that want to do an interview with me, they are more than welcome to, especially about something like this because I'm going to tell them how it is. I'm not going to put it in words...I'm not going to say it how they want me to say it because they just want to find the most negative thing they can find about somebody. it ain't even negative towards me because it's not true, but don't be out there trying to put my business out in the street whenever nothing is going on. They doing it just to get hits on their website and if you are that corny, then go ahead. If that's all you got to do in your day is to find BS on people, then do what you do. Somebody gonna get you if it ain't me.
PC: Just to touch on your career, how is the knee doing?
AJ: Everything is good man. I've been training on my Jiu Jitsu. I've been doing that more than my stand-up. I'm just focused dude and doing my thing. I'm not going to fight this year. Hopefully I will fight in 2011, but I just want to train and get better. I'm just going to do me. I'm not going to let this media stuff bring me down. If everybody gets a kick out of it because they really think I did something wrong, they don't know me. I'm gonna let them say what they want to say and think what they want to think. I'm going to keep training and doing what I do. I'm not worried about them though because the people that know me know that I'm not even that type of dude. I'm going to always stay true and stay real. It is what it is and life goes on and if the media wants to make it seem that way...I heard they said I had to spend a day in jail. I ain't gotta spend no day in jail. They tripping on me having to do 8 hours of community service. Dude, I go to the Boys & Girls Club anyway to speak to the kids, but they not going to report when I volunteer my time to talk to the kids. They gonna report when it's some negative BS. But you know what? As long as the kids get the message, it doesn't matter what they think. I don't mind talking to kids and being a positive role model for kids. I'm always up there talking about anti-dog fighting and how to stay in school and things like that, but you will never see that reported. That's what I do. I don't mind. They don't have any evidence that I did any kind of domestic violence, but they wanted to say I did it so bad. Those 52 weeks of classes, I don't even care. I just wanted this stuff over with. I'm going ahead with life dog. I'm not going to let this shut me down. I'm going to be something. They want to feed off of negative stuff, but I ain't trying to feed off of nobody's negativity. I'm all positive baby.
PC: I appreciate you reaching out to me and giving me the story. Good luck with your knee recovery and I'm glad to see everything behind you. Give me some closing thoughts my man.
AJ: I just want to thank my family most of all, my coaches and my fans that stuck by me. I got to thank you dog because out of all of the reporters, you always kept it 100 with me. You kept it real with me and I appreciate that. I just want to thank God that everything is over with. The only people that are worried about it now are the media. I'm not worried about it. My family is relieved and I'm relieved that it's over with. They know my head is on straight now because they know this was stressing me out. I was just tired of it. I've been tired of it since day one and now that it's over, I'm extremely focused and ready to do what I do. Life goes on and it is what it is.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]