Demetrious Johnson reveals why the UFC may not allow Conor McGregor to fight as often as he wants
Conor McGregor suffered a devastating TKO loss at the hands of No. 1 ranked lightweight contender Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson weighed in on how the main event at UFC 257 unfolded.
It was reported that, despite losing emphatically, Conor McGregor took home over $3.04 million to headline UFC 257. Demetrious Johnson believes huge paychecks might have inadvertently been the reason for the Irishman's downfall.
In a recent interview with Heavy.com, Demetrious Johnson noted that every fighter is an asset to the promotion they fight in. Each fight is allotted a certain budget, which also includes fighter compensation. A megastar like Conor McGregor would demand higher remuneration than other athletes, and rightfully so.
“Every company has a budget, and when you have an athlete that makes that much money, it’s coming out of your pocket,” Johnson told Heavy.
The amount of resources that go into building up a Conor McGregor-headlined card might be the reason why the Irishman fights so rarely in the promotion.
According to 'Mighty Mouse', Dustin Poirier's time in the Octagon helped him sail through the first round at UFC 257. The Diamond endured McGregor's heavy strikes in the opening round and invested in leg kicks.
McGregor's inactivity inside the cage was evident when he succumbed to the calf kicks thrown at him. Eventually, as Poirier sensed McGregor moving on a debilitated foot in the second round, he unleashed a barrage of punches to secure the win.
Did Demetrious Johnson ever call out Conor McGregor?
Back in 2017, Demetrious Johnson called out the Notorious One in an interview with TMZ. Johnson revealed that Conor McGregor would be his favored opponent to secure a seven-figure paycheck. Conor McGregor was the reigning lightweight champion at the time and drew the most eyeballs to the sport.
"Mighty Mouse" mentioned that a superfight between himself and the Irishman would do wonders at the box office. However, fans could never witness the matchup come to fruition as McGregor moved on to box with Floyd Mayweather and DJ was traded by the UFC to ONE Championship.
Demetrious Johnson is now set to fight ONE Championship flyweight champion Adriano Moraes on April 7th. Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will also face Iuri Lapicus on the same card.