Demetrious Johnson is a UFC legend. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC
Considered one of the biggest names in the history of MMA, Demetrious Johnson built a career marked by technical dominance. The American defended the UFC flyweight belt (up to 56,7 kg) 11 times in a row, a record that has yet to be surpassed. However, before making history, his journey began with modest gains.
In an interview with 'Outta Podcast', the former fighter revealed that, in his first title fight, against Dominick Cruz, received US$ 14 thousand to enter the octagon and another US$ 14 thousand conditional on victory — amounts close to the promotion's current minimum wage (US$ 12,5 thousand/show + US$ 12,5 thousand/victory).
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“I worked my entire career until I fought against Dominick Cruz. […] I was at the Super Bowl, essentially, and I won $14,” Johnson said.
At the time, the athlete had only had two fights in the organization before the title challenge. Criticism of the UFC's salary policy is not new. Demetrious Johnson only had access to points of pay-per-view after being traded to ONE Championship in 2019. In the UFC, even as champion, his contract included US$125 to fight and US$50 to win.
“Champions make most of their money on PPVs. If you’re on a PPV card, Conor McGregor, which sells 2,1 million purchases, the math is clear. I never had that chance”, lamented the former champion.
Despite the contractual shortcomings, Johnson has cemented himself as a legend in the sport. After leaving the UFC in 2019, he became the ONE Championship MMA Grand Prix champion, proving his worth beyond the borders of the North American promotion.
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