Retired UFC fighter Anthony Johnson: Medical marijuana business 'for all the right reasons'

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Retired light heavyweight Anthony Johnson was backstage at this past Saturday’s UFC 214, there to shoot the breeze with reporters, support training partner Volkan Oezdemir, and, of course, shoot down questions about whether he might step into the cage again.

Even before that question could be completed, Johnson interrupted, “No chance.” And that tweet he sent about “getting the itch” after Alexander Gustafsson – a previous victim – knocked out Glover Teixeira, another victim? All in good fun.

“That was just me being a little cocky,” Johnson (22-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC) said. “Gus threw, what, probably five, 10 uppercuts to put Glover out? I just threw one. I was just busting his balls a little bit – you need 10 bullets, I need one.”

When veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani managed to broach the topic, Johnson said even if Jon Jones beat Daniel Cormier, he wouldn’t come out of retirement to give it one last go.

Now that Jones has done that, the world has that on-the-record answer for whatever does or doesn’t come next. Still, if Johnson is truly retired, what does he do with his time these days? If he’s not getting up early, dieting, running, or “sweating like a dog,” what keeps him busy? How does he keep those itches at bay?

The answer, according to “Rumble,” is a lot of cardio. Another one is, he chills. But also, he tends to his new business venture in the green rush.

The company called “Farm Med” (or perhaps, “Pharm Med,” as no website exists for either spelling). According to Johnson, it’s a medical marijuana business based in Canada that he bought into through a mutual friend. Now, it’s part of his nest egg.

Not much was known about Johnson’ foray into medical marijuana when he revealed it in May, but the two-time UFC title challenger said his new job isn’t merely a get-rich-quick scheme.

“We’re doing it for all the right reasons,” he said. “It’s not about the money. We’d rather help society out the right way, instead of trying to put pills into their body.”

Johnson said he and his partner will make sure the new business is successful in Canada before bringing it to the U.S., where several states have legalized recreational use of marijuana, though his home state of Florida has yet to.

“We’ve got to make sure the home surf is safe and stable,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t worried about what Uncle Sam could say. This is something I truly believe in.

“I have somebody close to me that’s dealing with cancer. I’ve seen them take 10 pills every three or four hours for the aches and pains and sickness, and it might go away for a little, but they still feel bad. I’ve seen them take a hit, and all of a sudden, 10 minutes later, they’re like, ‘I don’t feel anything. I feel great. I’m ready to go and run. I’m ready to have a good time.’ That’s what I want to see.”

So for now, that’s Johnson’s pursuit. Rather than taking down the toughest guys in the world, he’ll be helping to elevate those who need a lift.

When he makes that move across the border, though, one UFC vet says he should hire a good lawyer – just to be safe.

For more on UFC 214, check out the UFC Events section of the site.