Brett "
Overweight" Johnson
There are two things that spring to mind when a person first thinks of Brett Johnson. And those two things immediately separate those who were there during his 8 year reign and those who look back at this monument to HW dominance.
Those who look back may ask why? Why? Why is this man so well regarded? Sure 58-13 is a pretty good record, but nothing exceptional… barely a 70% winning record. 8 years isn’t exactly a huge career. Maybe the 23 EFC title make them pause for a moment, but other fighters have reached that mark, other fighters have passed that mark, and others have done it while picking up a string of titles in other orgs.
So, why is Overweight regarded so highly?
Because those who were there think of him not just as Overweight…
But unbeatable.
Brett Johnson was set loose on the unsuspecting MMArmy world in July 1994 with a first round guillotine over Brook “Bubbles” Bell. It was a bright career start for Overweight going 10-0, with notable wins over the (at the time) 14-1 Yura "Pint of Guinness" Prokofiev and the 20-6 Justin "Hacksaw Jim" Morris despite early rumours of suspect weight management. This journey carried him to A-1 and it was here he had his first title shot against the current holder Masahiko Temko. It was here that Overweight was to first taste the bitter pill of disappointment coming out on the losing side of a razor-blade close split-decision.
So what the sceptics say. Many a prospect has had a bright start, only to crumble when the pressure was one and the lights so bright.
Johnson continued in A-1 going 4-1 in his next 5, his loss to the 13-4 Fabio Brito. But perhaps more importantly two of those wins came over Jim "Sasquatch" Sanders; a fighter who go on to be a top contender is the EFC for years to come and Alexei "Ersatzreifen" Frenkel; a future 7 time EFC champion. His next fight however was almost certainly the most important of his early career. Pete “Short Shorts” 61 was 29-6 at the time, universally regarded as one of the top HW fighters in the world and a veteran of the LOTC “Gang of Four”. Short Shorts was 4 fights into his A-1 title reign finishing all of those bouts within the distance.
Brett Johnson, less experienced and possibly less skilled took Short Shorts to the limit, but once again came out on the losing edge of a split decision. Overweight left A-1 at this time, his eyes looking upwards towards the gleaming spires of the EFC.
Perhaps the next year and a half could be considered the “dark days” of Overweight. He went 10-6 against the stiffest competition around, never being finished. It is a measure of his skills that going 10-6 in the EFC are the “dark days”. He lost a 3 matches to Matthew "The Dean of Mean" Green, those 3 wins over Johnson being a feat only one other fighter would ever accomplish.
But there were bright rays on sunshine coming through here as well. He once again defeated Sasquatch as well as future 12 time EFC Champ Craig “Drago” Adams (then 11-2) in one round.
And then there was Burgertime…
Bryan “Burgertime” Anderson was 25-1, a former A-1, GLORY and EFC Champion and regarded as probably the top HW in the world. Other writers in other articles will expound on his virtues, but one thing is certain. He was one of, if not, the best HW fighter MMArmy has ever seen.
Overweight finished him in 2 rounds. The only person to ever finish Burgertime. One of only 4 people to have ever beaten him. If there was ever any doubt that on any given night Overweight was the best HW in the world was completely dismissed.
Overweight finished the dark days with a second loss to Short Shorts, again by split decision. It is important to note this because over the next 15 fights and a year and a half he would not lose again. Over the next 5 and a half years and 34 fights he would lose only one fight. 10-6 against top competition can be considered the dark days when you then go 33-1 against that same competition.
The beginning to the run took him through future 11 time EFC Champion Kioshi "Black Asian Mamba" Matsumura, at the time a former EFC Champ, 31-18 and one of the other select few to beat Burgertime then through Ramon " 2nd Biggest Mexican" Alvarez a future 6 time EFC Champ. He met Short Shorts for a third time, now with the greatest prize of them all on the line, the EFC title. Short Shorts himself was coming off his own career defining win, himself beating Burgertime.
Overweight won, and in the immediate rematch won by a far clearer margin.
Overweight was the EFC HW Champion, undisputedly the best HW in the world. And he wasn’t stopping. Two more future EFC champions fell in the next four fights until the biggest fight in the history of MMArmy was signed.
Overweight vs Burgertime 2.
The two best HW’s EFC had ever seen meeting for their second battle. Overweight was seen as virtually unbeatable after his recent run, Burgertime the only HW even close to matching him, despite his earlier loss. When other fighters in other Orgs talked of “ducking” these two titans of MMArmy collided.
And Burgertime was victorious by yet another painfully close split decision.
The rematch was signed, the rubber match to end all rubber matches. Overweight vs Burgertime 3.
And Overweight won clearly.
The two titans had battled and Overweight had won.
It was 17 fights and over 3 years before Overweight would be truly challenged again. This run was controversial however. Despite 3 wins over Short Shorts, finally getting a stoppage, one clear decision and one close, a win over Glory legend Austin "mullet of fire" Jodoin, well regarded HW Will "The Butcher" Boucher, top contender Sean "Magic" Johnson, two further wins over Drago, another win over Sasquatch and multiple wins over future EFC Champ Rob "The Aggro Crag" Hughes, one word kept sneaking in.
Weight.
The EFC was in the midst of regulation and the penalties for missing a weight cut were now much more severe. Previously the failing fighter would wink at his opponent and keep attempting it until he finally made it. Now a months suspension came with any failed attempt to make weight. Overweight missed nearly a year in one incident and his inability to keep his weight under control always reared its head. He even lost his title, stripped by the EFC during his years absence, before reclaiming it against Short Shorts in one of their bouts (notably Short Shorts had also been his last defence).
Overweight was slowing done. Still one of the best fighters in the world his eating (which, as you may have suspected, contributed to his nickname) and lack of cage time meant that perhaps it was inevitable that he would finally lose his title in the ring. At the time however, no-one thought it. And even less who the man to finally unseat this goliath of MMArmy.
Craig “Drago” Adams was 0-3 against Overweight, including being finished twice. His title shot was considered a formality, a defence against a solid contender that Overweight would win while waiting for a new breed of HW to come in. In short, Drago didn’t stand a chance.
But the no-one told Drago he was just a routine defence.
Over 5 epic rounds Drago matched Overweight punch for punch, kick for kick, sweep for sweep and takedown for takedown until afterwards the crowd stood an applauded like they had only once before: when Overweight and Burgertime met for the second bount. Fans across the globe glanced at the screen and whispered to each other “Could it be? Could it?”
It could.
Drago won the decision. A rematch was immediately signed and, more shockingly, Drago won a clear decision. Worse was to come. In his come-back bout Overweight faced Short Shorts and lost a close split decision exactly 5 years and 5 unsuccessful attempts since 61 had last beaten Overtime. As one of the fansites proclaimed at the time “Can the man who forgot how to lose learn to win once again?”
He could.
“Magic” Johnson and Clark “Green Eyed Monster” Jach felt the wrath of Overweight.
And then it was over.
Overweight had retired.
A period of MMArmy and EFC history was over, a period that many consider the Golden Age of the Heavyweights. Rarely have so many top fighters fought against each other, and rarely have so many of them failed to win the big one. That can be laid firmly at the feet of Overweight and Burgertime.
Overweight will always be known for being the only man to finish Burgertime and the only man to beat him twice.
For going 5-3 against Short Shorts
For going 3-2 against Drago
For going 3-0 against Magic
For going 3-0 against Sasquatch
For going 2-0 against the Aggro Crag
And knocking off every other top contender for 5 years in the EFC.
For a huge period of time, Overweight was seen as unbeatable. No record can ever sum up the sheer shock and awe every fighter to ever face Overweight had to go through.
When everything is said and done and the dust has settled, two men will be fighting over the last high fat treat at the MMArmy legend retirement home.
Burgertime and Overweight.
And the odds are Overweight will win…
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