VIDEO | Demetrious Johnson believes a fight with Conor McGregor could “absolutely” happen

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is one of the best fighters on the planet. In fact, he might even be the best fighter ever. He reaffirmed his status as a greatest of all time contender last weekend, when he submitted BJJ blackbelt Wilson Reis in the main event of UFC on Fox 24, which marked his 10th consecutive defense of the UFC flyweight throne.

While Johnson is undeniably one of the best fighters ever, however, he isn’t exactly paid like one. Though his pay checks are certainly nothing to smirk at, he is far from the best paid fighter on the UFC roster, and he seems to be getting a little tired of that fact.

Shortly after his emphatic defeat of Reis, the champ told Octagon commentator Brian Stann that he’s hoping for a seven-figure payday in the near future. In a subsequent interview with TMZ, Johnson was asked about this prospective pay-day, and who he’d have to fight to make it happen. There could be only one answer: UFC lightweight champ and transcendent MMA superstar Conor McGregor, who is currently fixated on a possible boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.

“It would have to be somebody from a different division, obviously,” Johnson said. “But if I wanted to guarantee it, it would have to be Conor McGregor.” 

Johnson then explained that a fight with McGregor could “absolutely” happen, but that it would have to happen under the right circumstances.

“Absolutely,” he said. “He’s about to fight Floyd Mayweather and he’s in a totally different sport. I would think if any fight could happen before the Floyd Mayweather fight, it would be mine because we do the same shit. He wouldn’t have to fight in one aspect of martial arts. Me and him, all we’d have to do is get it licensed and sanctioned in one state.” 

“He would have to make 145, I would not be able to make 155 pounds,” Johnson said “I would say that fight is absolutely easier to get done than the Floyd Mayweather fight.”

Johnson then weighed in on how the potential fight itself would look.

“It would be a long f*cking night,” he said. “For both of us.” 

Do you think the pound-for-pound king Demetrious Johnson could defeat the much larger Conor McGregor? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/18/2017.