Demetrious Johnson looking for massive payday in potential Cruz superfight

Many MMA fans forget that back in 2011 before the formation of the UFC’s flyweight division Dominick Cruz defeated Demetrious Johnson via unanimous decision.

Cruz ultimately was sidelined for several years due to injury and forced to vacate the belt before ultimately reclaiming it earlier this month. Johnson on the other hand competed in the UFC’s inaugural flyweight tournament and claimed the championship belt.

Since then Johnson has defended the belt 7 times and become one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet.

With Cruz as the bantamweight champion once again, Johnson is looking for a massive payday in a potential champion vs. champion superfight.

He spoke to Submission Radio:

“I feel that if the UFC can net-gross $600 million, they can spare $2 million of that. They wouldn’t even (expletive) notice that it’s gone. So that’s my case, and I value myself at a high level and I think everybody should. And I think with all these other fighters, you know, fighting out the end of their contracts and seeing what they’re worth, I think it’s good.”

“At the end of the day, it’s about can you pay your bills. We are all athletes and our window of opportunity to make as much money as possible is a short window. So for me to go up to a different weight-class and take on the champion – and like I said, guys, I don’t need to go to fight Dominick Cruz. I don’t need to go fight for the 135-pound belt. I don’t need to. There’s nothing in my life that says ‘arggh, you gotta do it’.”

“Right now I’m focused on breaking the title defenses (record), putting enough money away for me (so that) after I’m done fighting in mixed martial arts I can have a smooth transition into my next career and have enough money to where I don’t have to look back.”