“$5 million from fighting, $20 million outside…” UFC legend Demetrious Johnson lays down blueprint for fighters
UFC and ONE flyweight G.O.A.T. Demetrious Johnson speaks passionately about the urge to be more than just a budding fighter.
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Demetrious Johnson (Source: X)
Demetrious Johnson is widely regardable as one of the greatest martial artists of all time. Johnson once reigned as UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion. However, his contract didn’t give him pay-per-view points like other champions. Though he and UFC CEO Dana White have been at loggerheads for this, they never publicly slammed each other. The duo traded barbs on social media openings and pressers, with Whtie saying Johnson never wanted pay-per-view points in his contract.
It’s been a long road since then. With brass discrediting the MMA icon’s statements, things didn’t go smooth. Demetrious Johnson has long had a chip on his shoulder over this. However, the flyweight G.O.A.T. moved on to ONE FC and found immense success. In a very recent appearance with friend Ariel Helwani’s new ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’ ‘DJ’ talked about other avenues for revenue.
Like, my goal is…can I make more money from building the Youtube, the ‘Mighty’ Merch, the project coming out in 2025? Can’t I make more money doing that stuff — than fight? When I do that [able to] that’s fu*king [when] you’ve made it…That’s what every athlete should strive for. Like, okay, I’ve made, ya know, $5M from fighting. Can I make $20M outside of the cage? That is my goal now.
Demetrious Johnson on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’ (@ArielHelwani) live to Uncrowned and YouTube at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time
Undoubtedly, Johnson didn’t fade and was able to build on his stature, at ONE. Despite the shock unprecedented “trade” for Ben Askren in 2018, he made more than a mark. ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong even recently named Demetrious Johnson (25-4-1) the inaugural Hall of Famer. His talent sieved through to help earn revenue in perpetuity royalty brand payments, merch sales from his “MIGHTY” Podcast (@Mighty15x), and so on.
Demetrious Johnson: That's what every athlete should strive for. Like, okay, I've made, ya know, $5M from fighting. Can I make $20M outside of the cage? That is my goal now.#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/MEQFgIDX6W
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) October 16, 2024
The inaugural UFC flyweight champion has resonated many times (with ultra-practical utilitarian Renato Moicano) that fighting is a sport, not a mode of living. ‘DJ’ alluded to the likes of Conor McGregor, who made a whopping $158/180 million from perpetuity brand endorsements. Another $150 million on the haul, when he sold his share of Proper No. Twelve to Proximo Sport in 2021. That “bigger than life” and fighting model is what everyone should strive for.
Demetrious Johnson gets candid about his reasons for retirement
Demetrious Johnson may not be veteran voice Bruce Buffer’s “one and only” but he is Mighty! In a legendary 30-fight tenure (25-4-1), this all-time great has accomplished many tough — and often unthinkable feats. Some being a global pound-for-pound G.O.A.T. and giving Jon Jones a run for his money with his title stats, per statleaders.ufc.com (UFC Record Book).
ONE Championship 168 in Denver was an emotional one, where Johnson took his out from the fight. But the fight isn’t out of Johnson just yet. In a candid and wide-ranging interview on Wednesday on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show‘, Johnson, 38, admitted that he has essentially been in semi-retirement. past year. Although all the more official now, he has transitioned into the grappling world.
Johnson’s wife Destiny told him how much she enjoyed having him home since his last fight. That was a unanimous decision victory over ONE Championship rival Adriano Moraes in May 2023. That was all ‘DJ’ needed to not chase the thrill and risk injury, and call quits at the top of the game.
I’m going to give myself a year just in case I miss it…I don’t want to be one of those guys who’s like, ‘I’m done fighting. I’m not coming back,’ then next thing you know, ‘Hey guys, I’m coming back to fight.’ I don’t want to be one of those…For me, I’m done. I don’t miss it. I enjoy jiu-jitsu. That’s feeding my competitive edge. It’s a breath of fresh air because my professor is very good about teaching me and I’m trying to understand jiu-jitsu in the gi at a deeper level.
Demetrious Johnson further said
Never shying from the camera, Johnson’s ideal was to disappear without a sound. Some might even say dead quiet as a mouse (a MIghty one). But he did get his fanfare during retirement. He also is experimenting with his studio setup and YouTubeing at the “MIGHTY” Podcast. So he isn’t in competitive fighting, but still very much in the fight and will keep understanding the game.
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