Tim Johnson Bio
Timothy Johnson (born March 13, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist competing in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2010, he has built a career spanning more than fifteen years across the UFC, Bellator MMA, the Professional Fighters League, and Karate Combat. Standing 191 cm tall, he fights out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where he represents the Academy of Combat Arts Xtreme Couture training team.
Known for his wrestling base and finishing power, Johnson has compiled a professional record of 18 wins against 12 losses over thirty total bouts. His victories include six by knockout, three by submission, and three by decision, reflecting a well-rounded skill set developed across multiple top promotions.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Johnson was born on March 13, 1985, in Lamberton, Minnesota, United States. Growing up in the rural southwestern corner of the state, he was exposed to athletics at a young age and developed a strong foundation in physical competition. The small-town environment of his upbringing helped shape the discipline and work ethic that would later define his fighting career.
Johnson attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, a Division II program, where he became a two-time All-American wrestler. His collegiate wrestling career provided the technical base and conditioning that would serve him well in mixed martial arts. While at Minnesota State University Moorhead, he also began exploring combat sports beyond wrestling, setting the stage for his transition to professional fighting.
Path to MMA
After completing his collegiate wrestling career, Johnson made his professional mixed martial arts debut in October 2010. He began competing primarily for regional organizations around his adopted home of North Dakota, where he built his early experience against a variety of opponents. These regional shows allowed him to round out his striking and submission game alongside his wrestling background.
Johnson amassed an impressive 7–1 record on the regional circuit, finishing all of his opponents during that stretch. The defining moment of his early career came in October 2014, when he earned a first-round finish of veteran Travis Wiuff. That victory drew the attention of major promotions and set the stage for his jump to the biggest stage in the sport.
Tim Johnson Career
Early Career (2010–2014)
Johnson spent his first four years as a professional competing in regional shows across the upper Midwest, fighting out of North Dakota. During this developmental period, he built a reputation as a finisher, stopping every opponent he faced before his lone loss. His grappling-heavy style, paired with improving striking, made him a difficult matchup for regional heavyweights.
The October 2014 victory over Travis Wiuff served as his ticket to the UFC. The first-round finish demonstrated his potential at the national level and earned him a multi-fight deal with the promotion. By the end of 2014, Johnson had positioned himself as one of the top heavyweight prospects outside the major promotions.
UFC Career (2015–2018)
Johnson made his UFC debut on April 4, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 63, facing Shamil Abdurakhimov. He won the fight by technical knockout in the final seconds of the first round, announcing his arrival in the promotion in emphatic fashion. The victory validated the UFC’s decision to sign him and gave him early momentum inside the Octagon.
Across his UFC run, Johnson faced a series of notable heavyweights. He dropped a unanimous decision to Jared Rosholt at UFC Fight Night 73 in August 2015, but rebounded with a decision win over Marcin Tybura at UFC Fight Night 86 in April 2016. A controversial split decision loss to Alexander Volkov at UFC Fight Night 99 in November 2016 followed, with all twelve media scorecards reportedly siding with Johnson. He then earned a split decision over Daniel Omielańczuk at UFC Fight Night 107 in March 2017, before being stopped by Júnior Albini at UFC on Fox 25 in July 2017. Johnson closed his UFC stint with a unanimous decision win over Marcelo Golm at UFC Fight Night 125 in February 2018, after which the promotion opted not to renew his contract.
Bellator MMA Career (2018–2023)
On April 13, 2018, it was revealed that Johnson had signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA. He debuted against Cheick Kongo on October 13, 2018, at Bellator 208, losing by knockout in the first round. After stepping in on short notice to face former Bellator Heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov at Bellator 225 in August 2019, where he was again stopped early, Johnson began to find his footing with the promotion.
At Bellator 239 in February 2020, Johnson stopped Tyrell Fortune by knockout in the first round, then finished Matt Mitrione by technical knockout in the first round at Bellator 243 in August 2020. He avenged his earlier loss to Cheick Kongo with a split-decision victory at Bellator 248 in Paris in October 2020. Johnson then challenged Valentin Moldavsky for the Bellator Interim Heavyweight World Championship at Bellator 261 in June 2021, losing by unanimous decision, and was stopped by Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 269 in October 2021. He dropped a technical knockout to Linton Vassell at Bellator 277 in April 2022 before closing his Bellator run with a unanimous decision win over Said Sowma at Bellator 294 in April 2023.
Post-Bellator and PFL Era (2024–Present)
Following his Bellator tenure, Johnson headlined XFC 50 on April 12, 2024, defeating Darion Abbey by technical knockout in the first round. He then made his Professional Fighters League debut on June 13, 2024, at PFL 4, stopping Danilo Marques by technical knockout in the first round. Johnson fell to Denis Goltsov by technical knockout in the first round during the 2024 Heavyweight tournament semifinals at PFL 7 in August 2024.
On January 25, 2025, Johnson stepped in as a short-notice replacement to face Vadim Nemkov at PFL Champions Series 1, losing by rear-naked choke submission in the first round. The promotion revealed on March 5, 2025, that Johnson would join the 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament. In the quarterfinal at PFL 4 on May 1, 2025, he lost to Alexandr Romanov by guillotine choke submission in the first round.
Driving Style and Strengths
Johnson’s style is built on a Division II All-American wrestling foundation, which gives him strong takedown defense and positional control in the clinch. He pairs that base with knockout power in his hands, having recorded six professional wins by knockout. His experience competing across the UFC, Bellator, and PFL has made him a durable and adaptable heavyweight.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Johnson’s signature moments are his first-round technical knockout of Shamil Abdurakhimov in his UFC debut and his first-round knockout of Tyrell Fortune at Bellator 239. He also challenged for the Bellator Interim Heavyweight World Championship against Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 261 in June 2021, marking the only major title opportunity of his career to date.
Tim Johnson Career Wins
Across his professional career, Timothy Johnson has accumulated 18 wins in 30 total mixed martial arts bouts. His victories have come via six knockouts, three submissions, and three decisions, with the remaining wins by other stoppage methods. He has recorded notable victories over opponents including Shamil Abdurakhimov, Marcin Tybura, Daniel Omielańczuk, Marcelo Golm, Tyrell Fortune, Matt Mitrione, Cheick Kongo, Danilo Marques, and Darion Abbey.
UFC Highlights
Johnson’s UFC tenure produced wins over Shamil Abdurakhimov, Marcin Tybura, Daniel Omielańczuk, and Marcelo Golm. His debut performance against Abdurakhimov, finished in the final seconds of the first round, remains one of the most memorable finishes of his career.
Bellator and PFL Highlights
In Bellator, Johnson recorded key wins over Tyrell Fortune, Matt Mitrione, Cheick Kongo, and Said Sowma. In the PFL, he added a first-round technical knockout of Danilo Marques at PFL 4 in 2024. He also headlined and won XFC 50 against Darion Abbey in April 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the major promotions, Johnson competed in Karate Combat 55 on July 18, 2025, where he defeated Chase Sherman by knockout in the first round before losing to Robelis Despaigne by technical knockout in the first round of the Last Man Standing heavyweight tournament.
Tim Johnson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Timothy Johnson was raised in Lamberton, Minnesota, in a small-town Midwestern environment that helped shape his athletic path. Limited verified information is available about his parents or broader family background.
Personal Life
Johnson is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he trains out of the Academy of Combat Arts Xtreme Couture. Detailed public information about a spouse or children is not clearly available in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a demanding chapter for Timothy Johnson across multiple combat-sports formats. In the PFL, he began the year with a short-notice loss to Vadim Nemkov at PFL Champions Series 1 in January, falling by rear-naked choke submission in the first round. He was then revealed as part of the 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament field on March 5, 2025, but was eliminated in the quarterfinal by Alexandr Romanov at PFL 4 on May 1, 2025, via guillotine choke submission in the first round.
Outside the PFL cage, Johnson competed in Karate Combat’s Last Man Standing heavyweight tournament at Karate Combat 55 on July 18, 2025. He opened the tournament with a first-round knockout of Chase Sherman before being stopped by Robelis Despaigne via technical knockout in the first round of his second bout. The dual-format schedule has kept Johnson active and visible across promotions, even as he continues to chase his next victory inside major mixed martial arts competition.
Looking ahead, Johnson remains tied to the Academy of Combat Arts Xtreme Couture training team in Las Vegas and is expected to continue pursuing opportunities in the Professional Fighters League and other major heavyweight divisions. His durability, wrestling pedigree, and finishing ability keep him relevant in a crowded heavyweight field.