Combat sports athletes put themselves in heavy danger, and many will agree that professions like MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are some of the most dangerous ones in the world. However, the issue of fighter pay has always been there in combat sports. UFC Legend Demterious Johnson gave his take on fighter pay in an interview.
Demetrious Johnson is one of the most celebrated MMA fighters in the UFC and can often be spotted in the Jiu-Jitsu match lately.
Demetrious Johnson on Fighter Pay
Demetrious Johnson has spent a decade in the UFC, winning several titles in the Flyweight division. Recently, he competed in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match. In an interview with Rampage Jackson, Johnson touched on fighter pay and gave his take. Demterious Johnson said,
Why don’t Jiu-Jitsu athletes get paid more money? I just don’t understand it. There’s so many big events, so many big sponsors.
The group on the podcast was discussing the Craig Jones Invitational match, and one of the hosts made it clear that the Craig Jones Invitational pays a lot more than the traditional ADCC tournaments. Demetrious Johnson was puzzled by the fact that despite having a ton of sponsors in the major tournaments, the athletes make peanuts. Rampage Jackson was convinced that BJJ is a relatively boring sport; therefore, the athletes do not make much money.
Johnson, often seen competing in grappling, wants the BJJ athletes to get their respect on the mat. DJ also claimed Dana White’s power slap generated a ton of revenue ($750 million) where the skill required in a slapping competition is zero. Professional grapplers are some of the most highly skilled sportsmen/women. It will be interesting to see if DJ can make any difference in grappling.
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