“Hulk” was his name coming up. He was an All-American wrestler and running back. Benching 535 in college, Tony Johnson has gone from a dominator on the field and on the mat to a knockout fighter soon to hit the top in his new sport.

He thought of going to the NFL; they were knocking at his door too. But, Johnson found himself having to handle family matters and passed on the invite. Now, the 290 pound strong arm is going into the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), easily handling opponents and tempting challengers to meet him toe to toe.

Nottheads caught up with Johnson as he was preparing for his next bout. The temperature was above 100 degrees in the gym as he sparred with fellow fighters and focused solely on the win. He put his hype song on repeat (Lil Wayne’s “I’m Me”) and smashed on the pads like he was trying to release some built up tension that was brewing in his psyche.

“It’s like a chess game. It’s all strategy,” he says as he steps away from his passion to holla at us.

“I’ve been doing this for about a year and a half now, so it comes easy to me; especially being a wrestler.”

Photos: TJ-Hulk - In Training

So how does one find himself ready to go blow for blow with some of the toughest men on Earth? Well, first you have to be a fighter. After that, you’ve got to get conditioned to roll with the best – not weight lifting. According to Johnson, that slows you down. You have to be explosive; ready to take out your target at its weakest moment. Stamina and focus is what it’s all about. As Johnson humbly reminds all of us, fighting a five minute round in the ring is a loooooooong time.

Johnson admits that he wins by taking his opponents to the ground. And what do you know? That’s why a lot of fighters are scared to go against him.

“Most of these fighters don’t have a wrestling background. So when they hear they are going against a wrestler, they get a little hesitant.” Johnson says.

With a strong team of trainers and close relationships with top MMA fighters, Johnson is making a name for himself in the industry that is becoming more popular by the day. He must have found his niche. From winning the Ohio state championship in wrestling during his high school years, to being a leading rusher in the nation at Iowa State, Johnson is able to release his fury through fighting and hasn’t taken an L yet.

But the beast is not all brute. He has his queen and a daughter too. He says that the latter takes more of his energy than any nemesis in the ring. He is building more than a rep as a mutilator. He is a husband and father who sees nothing better than to create a strong black family. He says that no glory in the sports world could ever compare to that.