Demetrious Johnson Tells Sean Strickland to Stop Complaining and Make a Decision
Former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson says he has been in Strickland's position and has blunt advice: decide whether you want to fight, then stop talking about it.
Demetrious Johnson has a message for Sean Strickland: stop airing the pay dispute on social media and make a decision.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the former UFC flyweight champion said he understands Strickland's frustration but does not agree with how the middleweight champion is handling it. Johnson said he went through the same thing during his own title reign and never took it public.
"I fought through my contract as a champion because I wanted more money, and they weren't going to give me more money," Johnson said. He recalled wanting a million-dollar payday for a champion-vs-champion fight against T.J. Dillashaw but never receiving that kind of money across his entire 18-fight UFC career.
Johnson framed the situation as a simple question. "Do you want to fight, yes or no?" he said. His advice: state your position plainly, including the numbers and the reasons, then either fight out the contract or walk away. He also suggested Strickland could relinquish the belt and pursue boxing if the money is not right.
Strickland signed a new six-fight deal before his split-decision title win over Khamzat Chimaev in May, per MMA Junkie. Johnson said Strickland has five fights remaining on that contract. The middleweight champion has publicly said he wants a payday around $30 million, similar to what Conor McGregor earned.
"Do I wish I made more money? One thousand percent," Johnson said. "I'm not gonna sit here and gripe and moan about it. It's his career. If he's not happy with it, I have to respect that he's unhappy with it."
I respect DJ more than almost any fighter who has ever lived, but I think he is wrong here. The reason UFC pay is where it is, is because champions like Mighty Mouse fought through bad contracts quietly and never made noise. That approach kept the peace and kept the checks small.
Strickland is loud and abrasive about it, sure. That is who he is. But the conversation he is forcing is one the sport needs. The UFC middleweight champion should not have to weigh whether boxing crossover money is his only path to a real payday. Five fights left on a deal he signed before winning the belt, and the company will not renegotiate? That is the problem.
DJ's advice to "just decide" is practical. It is also the advice of a man who played by the rules and left the UFC making less than he deserved. Sometimes the guy who complains the loudest is the one who moves the needle for everybody behind him.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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