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This Friday in Cedar Park, Texas, heavyweight Tony Johnson (10-2) fights Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) in the main event on Bellator 161, the biggest fight of his career.? But due to a recent unforeseen personal tragedy, Johnsons focus is much wider than the battle inside the cage.On Aug. 30, while cooking dinner for his kids, Johnson received a phone call that no one ever wants to get. His father called to let him know that his brother, William, committed suicide earlier that day. William was 27.That week was the worst week of my life. This hurt bad. It hurt. So theres nothing that Cheick Kongo can do to me that has to make me feel that hurt that I felt, Johnson told ESPN.com.Johnson describes his brother, who also fought in MMA, as tough as nails. In 2014, the two even fought on the same local card in Nashville, where both were victorious. William was able to stay at Tonys house, and the brothers enjoyed their time together, which was tough to come by due to conflicting schedules.He was always laughing, and no one ever knew he was depressed. We wish he would have come and talked to somebody, but unfortunately it didnt happen that way, said Johnson.After spending Labor Day weekend with his family in Cincinnati to bury his brother, Johnson returned to Nashville to resume training for Fridays bout with Kongo. Johnson said the Tuesday workout was harder to get through mentally than he originally thought but credits his training staff for keeping a positive mindset and pushing him to get through.Johnsons parents spent time with him in Tennessee last week to get away from things in Ohio. For Hulk, pulling out of the Kongo fight (Spike TV/ESPN Deportes, 9 p.m. ET) was never an option. He says that Bellator offered their condolences and said theyd back him 100 percent with no repercussions if he chose to back out. Johnson said that was never an option and he has the support of his parents and family to fight on. He added that his brother wouldnt have wanted him to miss out on this opportunity.I dont know when I will get that opportunity again, so I had to seize the moment, no matter what life puts in front of you. I knew my little brother wouldnt want that. He would want me to fight. There was not one moment that I said I was not going to take this fight, Johnson said.The skill matchup appears to be the classic striker versus grappler, but the size is an interesting one. The 41-year-old Kongo, a UFC vet, is far more experienced, taller and has a seven-inch reach advantage. However, Johnson, a former fullback and wrestler at Iowa State, will be the heavier fighter.I know he has a long reach, so Ive got to be crafty going in. Thats going to be an obstacle Ill have to get over, Johnson said. Cardio is going to be a factor, too. Ive seen some of his fights, and he does get winded very easily.Johnson said this is the first time that he hasnt had to cut down to the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds. He described his training camp as the best he ever had before his brothers suicide. He focused on upping his conditioning to push the pace on Kongo. The All-American wrestler also worked on his core to help combat the elbows and knees that Kongo has been known to use. Even after resuming training, Johnson said that he was able to regain his form after grieving.I think Ive closed that chapter with my brother. I went there and Ive had my peace. Ive moved on. I know my brother is in a better place now, Johnson said.The 30-year-old will honor his younger brother by changing up the song he walks out to. Originally slated to be DMX, he changed it up to Eminems Kings Never Die featuring Gwen Stefani. William used to create video montages for his brother, and that song was featured in the last one he made.With the promotion stripping champion Vitaly Minakov of his title back in May due to inactivity, the winner of this match puts himself near the front of the line for who is to fight for that vacant title. Another top contender is Matt Mitrione, who has been victorious in both his fights from the promotion since signing after a 14-fight stint with the UFC. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Cheap Custom Diamondbacks Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. http://www.customdiamondbacksjersey.com/ . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Custom Curt Schilling Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Custom Diamondbacks T-shirts . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Sam Bradford has started all of four games for Minnesota.The Vikings arent yet one-third of the way through their schedule.The early return on that expensive emergency trade the Vikings made for Bradford, though, could not have been better.Theyre the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, and Bradford has the second-best passer rating in the league (109.8) among quarterbacks with a qualifying amount of attempts.Obviously, its a great start, said Bradford, who was fetched from Philadelphia for a first-round draft pick in 2017 and a conditional selection in 2018 thatll be in the second, third or fourth round. You couldnt ask for anything more than being 5-0 going into your bye week.Waiting for the Vikings after the welcomed break is a road game on Oct. 23 against those Eagles (3-1), who havent missed Bradford one bit because of the success of rookie Carson Wentz.Coach Mike Zimmer cracked a couple of smiles after Minnesotas 31-13 victory over Houston on Sunday, but hell soon enter his usual state of anxiety about the upcoming opponent and how to slow its offense.Like Coach Zimmer said after the game, its still a lot of work this team needs to do, Bradford said. I think theyre still rooting for us to improve, and I think thats our mindset going forward. Were not satisfied. Its early in the year, and we havent accomplished anything yet.No, but the Vikings have at least mastered the art of resilience, after losing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, running back Adrian Peterson, left tackle Matt Kalil and now right tackle Andre Smith, all perhaps for the rest of the season.Bridgewaters colossal injury to his left knee triggered the deal for Bradford eight days before the opener , and the 28-year-old former No. 1 overall draft pick has meshed with his new teammates and picked up offensive coordinator Norv Turners playbook as if hes been in purple his whole pro career.The offensive coaches have done a great job of getting him prepared, Zimmer said. The one thing about Sam is that he will communicate the things that he likes to do.If we have a play in the game plan that he doeesnt like, hes going to tell Norv, and we get rid of the play.dddddddddddd We try to do things that hes comfortable with, even though its been a short period of time.When wide receiver Stefon Diggs (groin) was held out on Sunday against the Texans, Adam Thielen stepped up with seven catches for 127 yards and a tone-setting touchdown on the opening drive .I really didnt know much about this team at all, to be honest, before I got here. I think I learn a little bit more each week, Bradford said. I think weve definitely got a lot of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, a lot of guys that we feel if can get the ball in their hands then good things will happen.According to the NFL, the Vikings are only the second team since 1933 to go five games into the season without throwing an interception while also winning all five. Roman Gabriel and the Los Angeles Rams also did so in 1969, when Gabriel went on to be voted the NFL MVP.Peterson won the award in 2012 and led the league in rushing again last year, but he had only 50 yards on 31 carries before damaging his right knee.His absence, as strange as it sounds, could actually have been a productive development for the offense provided Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata remain healthy as a viable two-man fill-in.Bradford, who has completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 990 yards and six touchdowns, acknowledged on Sunday the creative spark that followed the loss of Peterson.Rather than lining up in traditional setups for power running plays, the Vikings have been operating predominantly out of the shotgun and frequently using spread formations for a quick-passing, up-tempo attack.I think thats a little bit different than what the offense has done in the past, Bradford said. I think its just us getting to know each other, us getting familiar with where were going as an offense. But I think its just guys buying in.---AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '