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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, 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. But 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. Offcial Jerseys . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. Authentic Jerseys . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. College Jerseys . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Custom Jerseys .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- With all due respect to the teams left on the schedule, Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey sees no reason why the Titans cant win their remaining five games.They hope to begin steadying themselves in the playoff chase and start a streak when they visit the injury-riddled and suspension-laden Chicago Bears on Sunday.Who knows what can happen the next five games? Mularkey said. Its the hot team, the team that plays the most consistent is going to come out of this thing and be at the top. Is that nine wins? Is that 10 wins? I dont know. Right now, nobody knows what that is. I know this team still feels like we have a very good opportunity ahead of us.The Titans (5-6) likely will be facing Matt Barkley instead of Jay Cutler after Chicagos starting quarterback sustained a shoulder injury in last weeks loss to the New York Giants and is listed as doubtful to play this week.That was just another in long line of injuries that have engulfed the Bears (2-8). But along with their inability to stay healthy, theyve had a key player get suspended for four games for violating the leagues performance-enhancing drug policy each of the past two weeks. Linebacker Jerrell Freeman got punished on Monday . Last week, it was star receiver Alshon Jeffery.Theyre all difficult, coach John Fox said. Its a competitive game. As Ive mentioned before the injuries are a part of it whether its concussions or ankle injuries its a combative game. If you look around the league, I dont know that its happened quite as frequently around the league as it has for us, but you have to move on.The Titans, who trail Houston and Indianapolis in the AFC South, are trying to stay in the division race and hit their bye with a .500 mark.It would help if they got off to a strong start, something theyve struggled to do on the road . They are 1/3 away from home when trailing by double digits, including a 24-17 loss to the Colts last week in which they fell behind 21-0.We have to play four quarters, and I think weve only played one or two games where you can really say weve played aggressive through four quarters, said left tackle Taylor Lewan, who sprained his left knee against Indianapolis. And you need to do that the last five games.Here are some things to look for whenn they meet the Bears:BARKLEYS TURN: Barkley is expected to make his first career start.dddddddddddd The former Southern California star has played in just five NFL games since he entered the league in 2013, including a rough outing for the Bears at Green Bay on Oct. 20. He came in after Brian Hoyer broke his left arm and went 6 of 15 for 81 yards and two interceptions.Cutler then got cleared to return after missing five games because of a sprained right thumb.DAZZLING MARIOTA: Titans second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota is putting together one of the best seasons in franchise history and ranks among the NFLs best this season.He has a 116.8 passer rating over the past seven games, second only to Tom Brady (123.3) in the NFL in that span. Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015 out of Oregon, leads the NFL with 19 TD passes over the past seven weeks. He just set a franchise record by throwing at least two TDs in seven straight games, breaking a mark previously held by Hall of Famer Warren Moon. For the season, Mariota is seventh in the league with 2,772 yards passing and fourth with 23 TD passes.RUN IT: With just about all of their main playmakers on offense injured or suspended, the Bears figure to rely on their run game. That could mean a busy afternoon for Jordan Howard -- second among NFL rookies in rushing with 682 yards.OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: Tennessee is coming off its lowest scoring game since Sept. 25, when Oakland held the Titans to just 10 points. Since Oct. 6, the Titans are second in the NFL averaging 31.3 points per game, with only New England scoring more (31.7 points per game). For the season, Tennessee is eighth averaging 25.5 points per game. The Titans also lead the NFL inside the opponents 20, scoring touchdowns 75 percent of the time with 27 TDs on 36 drives.LEBEAUS D: With Dick LeBeau fully in charge of the defense this season, the Titans are tied for third with 30 sacks, just nine away from their total for all of last season. The Titans also are seventh against the run, giving up just 92.1 yards per game.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '