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Tony Johnson spent Labor Day weekend burying his younger brother, who killed himself a week ago.The heavyweight mixed martial artist will spend next weekend fighting in the main event of Bellator 161, believing William Johnson wouldnt want him to miss an opportunity that both fighting brothers craved.I had to go through my grieving really fast, Tony Johnson said in a phone interview from Cincinnati, his parents home. I have beautiful daughters Ive got to take care of. I cant just sit there and wallow in my sorrow. I have to get over it. Theres no other way. Ive always been the backbone of my family. Im very strong. My family leans on me a lot for support. Ive always grieved in private to be strong in public for my family.Johnson takes on French MMA veteran Cheick Kongo on Sept. 16 just outside Austin, Texas. A victory would change Johnsons career, which has been following a winding path from college football to big-money fights.The winner seems almost certain to get a shot at Bellators heavyweight title, which Johnson has been seeking for two years. At 30 years old, he is still relatively young by the wizened standards of MMA heavyweights, but this is his first headlining bout for the promotion.Just days after his father phoned him to inform him of Williams death, Tony immediately told Bellator he would fight anyway.Bellator said, We understand if you dont want to take this fight, Tony Johnson said. There will be no repercussions. Were going to back you 100 percent. Thats all I wanted. Ive got their support, but I told these guys Im going to be there. I dont know if Im going to have another opportunity to fight Cheick Kongo. Im ready now. Im ready to go.Tony Johnson said William Johnson, who lived in Cleveland, was a 27-year-old aspiring fighter with two young children. Although he knew William had a tumultuous relationship with his fiancee, he didnt realize the depth of his younger brothers depression.Every time we would talk, everything was fine, Tony Johnson said. I was trying to give him direction. I was trying to be a big brother to him, trying to lead him toward the right path. Hed listen, but of course hes young. He would fall off course, and I would have to put him back on course, but that was our relationship.Johnson attended last weekends viewing for his brother, but he will skip a memorial service at their high school this weekend.My parents want me to stay focused on the fight and winning the fight for my brother, he said.Johnson acknowledges his pain and confusion are still fresh and raw, but he is focusing on family and fighting.I guess he had been going through a lot, Johnson said. I never thought there was an issue. I never saw it. We still dont know. Theres still no closure to figure everything out.Although they lived hundreds of miles apart, the brothers spoke regularly by phone and occasionally trained together. They even fought on the same card in November 2014, both earning victories in a regional Tennessee promotion before Tony returned to Bellator.But William was still an MMA prospect, while Tony has long been considered a rising heavyweight with world title potential. He scored a touchdown for Iowa State in 2004 as a 300-pound freshman fullback before moving from wrestling into MMA.After three years in smaller promotions, he made his Bellator debut in June 2011 with a decision over Derrick Lewis, now a serious contender for the UFC heavyweight title. Problems with his contract led him to take a two-year break from the cage before competing in Asias ONE Fighting Championship and in Nashville, his adopted hometown.Johnson returned to Bellator last year, and he has beaten Alexander Volkov and Raphael Butler to earn a shot at the 41-year-old Kongo, the longtime UFC veteran who moved to Bellator three years ago.Ive gone through adversity before, Johnson said. Ive lost in MMA, and that helps you be strong in life. Things dont go your way, and it hits you. I believe that Rocky Balboa quote: `Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. 2017 Nike Free RN Distance 2 Mens/Womens Grey/Stealth/Black 863775-002 . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Mens/Womens BAIT x Saucony Grid 9000 Viridian Burner Black/Red/Viridian Green . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.iviloan.com/ . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Saucony Grid 9000 Premium Pack . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Saucony Mens Shadow Original .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. SpringHill Entertainment, LeBron James TV production company, has sold a comedy based on a sports agency to CBS, a source with knowledge of the deal confirmed.The comedy called Thankless, which follows a group of assistants at a firm in Chicago, will be written by Craig Gerard and Matt Zinman, who wrote for former CBS show How I Met Your Mother.This is the third sale of a project sold by SpringHill, in conjunction with its partner, Warner Brothers. The group previously sold a family comedy called There Goes The Neighborhood, and a sports medicine drama to NBC.ddddddddddddOther projects for SpringHill, which is headed by James and his business partner Maverick Carter, include the Starz basketball comedy Survivors Remorse and a reality show on CNBC called Cleveland Hustles. ' ' '