Anthony Johnson was hugely popular and fans loved it when Dana White damn near s*** himself af

When news emerged of Anthony Johnson's sad passing, many fans were quick to remember what made him so popular.

One moment stood out more than others, which saw him combine with Jon Jones to prank UFC president Dana White.

In 2015, before UFC 187 the duo were due to meet in a light-heavyweight title fight.

White was on edge given the pre-fight show was coming just months after champion Jones had brawled with rival Daniel Cormier at the UFC 178 media event.

Then, former UFC exec Dave Sholler was thrown to the floor with as Cormier and Jones piled into one another, so White took it upon himself to marshal the fighters this time.

Yet this time, he was actually the unsuspecting victim.

Jones and Johnson had planned to ‘brawl’ on stage when they went face-to-face and re-create the ugly brawl months earlier in the MGM Grand lobby.

The champion kicked proceedings off by placing his forehead on Johnson’s and the pair pushed one another as an exasperated White rushed in to stop them, panic on his face.

"If Dave was up there, it would have been perfect,” Johnson later said of the stunt but was equally happy White was on stage.

“He dam near s*** himself,” he added laughing, revealing he was the instigator of it all.

“His voice was so high, it was crazy but the expression on his face was priceless.”

Luckily the boss saw the funny side but was not impressed when Jones let him down later.

He was stripped of the belt and suspended from the UFC indefinitely in connection with a hit-and-run incident and then fled the scene. Cormier stepped into the void and won the title in the first meeting of the two.

And Cormier was among those who expressed his sadness at the death of Johnson, who died at the age of 38 from an unspecified illness.

“Rest Easy my brother," he posted on Twitter.

"For a guy who struck fear in so many peoples heart Anthony Johnson was a caring person. From random text to check ins during loss. What a person he was, Rumble will be missed. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Horrible news.”

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