Giovanni "Mo' Fire" Johnson is primed to make a breakthrough in a sport that is rarely practiced here in The Bahamas.
The 27-year-old mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, who fights out of the 135-pound class, recently returned from a six-month training camp in Burlington, Mass., and now has his eyes set on a professional debut at home this December. He feels that he was able to adequately hone his skills, sparring and fighting against top notch talent in the field.
Johnson, who fights locally with Dr. Kent Bazard and the Beast Mode Fight Team, said that he is looking forward to his professional debut in December, and hopefully returning to the United States for more training next year. During his time in Burlington, he fought out of the gym at the Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy.
"Mixed martial arts is a global phenomenon right now, and to really get any consistent development you have to travel and take part in international camps and tournaments," said Johnson yesterday. "I'm just glad that I got the opportunity to experience that, and I'm looking forward to more opportunities in the future.
"The competition up there is very fierce, and that's what lets you know that you have to take your game to another level if you are going to experience any kind of success. The guys up there are really competitive - they're sportsmen. Even when they practice, they are constantly pushing themselves. Those guys hit hard and are aggressive, but it's very controlled. You have to always be on your toes as a fighter. It was good to be around that level of competition."
Johnson said that after the experience overseas, he is now ready to venture into the professional ranks. He expects to fight at the highly anticipated Bahamas Open Martial Arts Championships (BOMAC) at home here in The Bahamas, in December. If scheduled, it will be his first pro fight, and he's looking to make an impression right away.
"Back in The Bahamas, we're not too far behind, but we have to step our game up," said Johnson. "The only thing that they (foreigners) really have on us, is that they have been doing this for so long. I just started five years ago, and those guys over there got started at a very young age."
Johnson said that there's definitely a market for mixed martial arts here in The Bahamas. He said that participation is growing, and it's just up to them involved in the sport to continue to get the word out and seek financial support from the government and corporate Bahamas.
"We are just trying to open the government's eyes as to what is going on and where the sport is headed here in The Bahamas," said Johnson. "Nassau is small and there is only so much that you can do over here, but the talent is definitely there. For me, I felt that it would be advantageous, not only for myself, but also for the team, in terms of going away and seeing how we stacked against foreign competition. I would love to go back next year, even though we have good training over here as well. We have legit coaches here in The Bahamas. It's just more in abundance in the States."
Despite suffering a slight injury while in Burlington, Johnson got in a lot of work, sparring with notable proteges, some of whom were preparing for professional debuts themselves. He said that he definitely feels that he is getting better. He fought in the International Chinese Martial Arts Championships (ICMAC) in Orlando, Fla., this year, and captured a first place finish in his division.
"There was a guy, Rob Font, who was making his professional debut for UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), and he asked me to help him prepare for his opening fight because his opponent had about the same height and same reach as me, so he needed to simulate that," said Johnson. "I got into the ring with him and it was amazing. I was awe struck, but at the same time, I came to the realization that I'm in the ring with someone who is about to make his UFC debut, and here I am giving him problems. It felt good to know that I could do that. This is all I really want to do (MMA fighting), so I'm going to give it my all. From 2009, I have been pushing myself into this. I love it. The opportunity is there to succeed in this sport," he added.
His short time involved in the sport so far is one of the setbacks facing Johnson, but he is prepared to put in the work and make a career out of MMA fighting. He simply can't wait until his professional debut in December.

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