Demetrious Johnson reveals Paddy Pimblett asked him to do his podcast amid Ariel Helwani beef: “He didn’t offer me anything either”

ONE Championship flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has given his take on the ongoing scandal involving Paddy Pimblett and Ariel Helwani.

‘The Baddy’ is set to return this Saturday night on pay-per-view at UFC 282. The bout will be Pimblett’s fourth in the UFC, as he will face Jared Gordon. Despite his short stint in the promotion, the British star has made a massive impact.

While he doesn’t have to try hard to do so, the Liverpool native is back in the headlines. However, it doesn’t have much to do with his return this weekend. Instead, it has to do with an ongoing feud with Ariel Helwani.

Earlier this week on his podcast alongside Dana White, Paddy Pimblett blasted the reporter. While the two had a lot to say about Helwani, the lightweight took issue with the fact that the longtime host of The MMA Hour makes money off fighters, and doesn’t pay guests.

For his part, Ariel Helwani later hit back at Pimblett, even showing a private voice message where the lightweight requested to come on his show. Many fighters have chimed in on the situation thus far, and now Demetrious Johnson has given his take.

During a recent live stream, ‘Mighty Mouse’ discussed the situation and had the reporter’s back. While Johnson was quick to note that he likes Pimblett, he also revealed the U.K. star had asked him to go on his podcast recently, and for no pay.

“If I was to reach out to Israel Adesanya and ask, ‘Man, can you come on my podcast?’ I’d love to pick your brain about why you’re so into anime, what video games you play, how does your love for Anime translate over to mixed martial arts? I see you doing your Naruto thing, how long did it take you to step out and bring that to your fight scene. I would hope and be shocked if Izzy says ‘yeah man, I’ll come on the podcast but you gotta pay me 20gs’. And I’d be like dude, why? Why would I pay you 20gs?” (h/t MMA News)

He continued, “Paddy Pimblett, he asked me to come on his podcast, I didn’t ask for a f*cking dime. I didn’t ask for anything. He didn’t offer me anything either, but at the same time I just think that it makes sense. If you have an opportunity to get paid, do something, take it. But don’t go around and try to ask people to pay you to be on the podcast or do interviews.”

“No, I’m not [going on Pimblett’s podcast]. I don’t think I’ll do his podcast, I don’t think Ariel Helwani’s a rodent. I don’t think he’s a POS, I don’t think he’s those words that he said. So I think it’s best that I don’t do his podcast. Huge fan of Patty, he’s an amazing fighter, what he’s done for the sport and done for himself and built his brand…”

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