Chad Ochocinco after the live broadcast of ESPN First Take at ESPN The Weekend, February 26, 2010

Chad Ochocinco Says MMA Bout Scheduled vs. Steelers Great James Harrison

Originally posted on Steelers Now | By Richard Gegick | Last updated Oct 2, 2024 2:00 PM ET

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) announced via X that he will fight Pittsburgh Steelers great James Harrison. The fight is a three-round MMA-style exhibition, possibly before Super Bowl LIX.

Harrison has yet to acknowledge his participation.

The supposed fight comes after a Sept. 27 episode of Inside the NFL. Ochocinco explained how he would intimidate Steelers players before a game.

“I knew it (playing the Steelers) would be a two-chinstrap game,” Johnson said. “Which is why I tried to establish dominance at the beginning by punking their most scariest players.”

Johnson then rolled footage of himself and Harrison butting helmets before a game.

“There it is,” Johnson said. “I’m in your face, boy.”

Ochocinco was a six-time Pro Bowl selection during his 11-year NFL career. He led the league in 2006 with 1,369 receiving yards.

PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 10: Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker James Harrison (92) looks on during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 10, 2017 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Photo by Mark Alberti/ Icon Sportswire)

Harrison is a Steelers legend and Hall of Honor inductee. He recorded a career-high 16 sacks in 2008 and returned an interception for 100 yards during Super Bowl XLIII.

The Steelers and Bengals have a long history as division rivals, with the Steelers leading the all-time series 79-38.

The rivalry hit a fever pitch in the mid-aughts when the teams faced off during the 2005 Wild Card Game.

That game is most famous in Bengals lore for the devastating knee injury suffered by Bengals QB Carson Palmer at the hands of Kimo von Oelhoffen.

The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL, while Bengals fans wondered what could’ve been.

The exhibition fight hasn’t yet been confirmed, though it would serve as another exciting chapter in the Pittsburgh-Cincinatti rivalry.

This article first appeared on Steelers Now and was syndicated with permission.

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