UFC Champion Slams Company, Calls Dana White A ‘Bully’

UFC Champion Demetrious Johnson is one of the top fighters today, recently tying the record for most consecutive title wins with Anderson Silva at 10 defenses. Currently, the UFC ranks Johnson at No. 1 in the world for pound-for-pound MMA fighters. However, in a lengthy statement released to the press, Demetrious called the UFC “tyrannical” and slammed UFC President Dana White, calling him a “bully.”

Demetrious Johnson joined the UFC in 2010 as a bantamweight fighter and moved to the flyweight division in 2012. Johnson’s overall record is 26-2-1 and has only lost one fight since moving to the UFC, and that was back in 2011.

In September of 2012, Demetrious Johnson won the first UFC Flyweight Championship by beating Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152. His most recent win came in April when he beat Wilson Reis at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis.

In the statement, Demetrious said that he agreed to the UFC’s “tyrannical demand” for him to battle Ray Borg. Johnson then said he did not want to fight TJ Dillashaw and that the UFC refused his request. According to Demetrious, Dana White told him that he has no interest in marketing the smaller divisions in the UFC, and that includes marketing him, making the Dillashaw fight not worth it.

Demetrious Johnson also accused the UFC of refusing to give him PPV points on any of his previous fights and refusing to give him any on future fights. Johnson also said that he will only make money if his fights hit a certain number of buys, and the UFC refuses to market the cards that he defends his title on.

The last major show that Demetrious Johnson defended his title on was UFC 197, which was headlined by Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Demetrious earned a bonus of $50,000 for the Performance of the Night on that show. Johnson also made the second most money of any fighter after Jon Jones at $195,000.

Demetrious Johnson also picked up the Performance of the Night bonus of $50,000 for his title defense in April at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis. His fight headlined the show. He also fought in the main event at the show before the one last December, where he was the highest-paid fighter on the card at $350,000.

The fact that Demetrious Johnson is refusing the fight TJ Dillashaw comes down to the fact that he believes Dillashaw will not make weight before the fight. He said that if TJ does not make the weight, Johnson will not get the chance to break the record for most consecutive title defenses. He said the UFC have stated they will not pay him in that case.

Before this Demetrious Johnson UFC statement was released, Dana White had called it “insane” that Johnson does not want to fight Dillashaw. White then pointed out that he makes the fights and Demetrious doesn’t, so this is what will happen. White also assured people that TJ Dillashaw was cutting weight and would be ready for the fight.

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Demetrious Johnson went on to call himself the best UFC fighter in history and said that Dana White is bullying him in the media. He said that White owes Ray Borg an explanation about why he is being removed from a title shot that he was already promised.

At the end, Demetrious Johnson said that the UFC’s track record with not promoting his fights goes in the face of Dana White claiming this will be a big payday for Johnson. Demetrious called it “another lie,” and it is just what Dana White wants and is not the right thing for his career or for the UFC in general.

[Featured Image by UFC]