Dominant UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson released a statement on Monday to address the UFC's "mistreatment and bullying" tactics to negotiate his next fight.
In a statement first released to MMAFighting.com and obtained by ESPN.com, Johnson (26-2-1) referred to himself as a "company man" but said, "I've decided to speak out now as I feel like my values and character as a person and a fighter are being tarnished by an organization I've done nothing but sweat and bleed for over the last seven years of my life."
The UFC has been working to book a flyweight title fight between Johnson and former bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw to headline an unannounced pay-per-view event in August. But Johnson, who will attempt to break Anderson Silva's record of 10 consecutive UFC title defenses in his next bout, has publicly turned down the fight.
Last week UFC president Dana White referred to Johnson's decision as "insanity" on a UFC-promoted podcast, and added, "Unfortunately for D.J., you don't make the fights around here. I do. So that's the fight we're pushing for."
In a lengthy statement, Johnson said he first agreed to face flyweight contender Ray Borg in the record-setting fight but was unhappy about it because Borg is a relatively unknown challenger and this will mark the first -- and only -- fight in Johnson's contract in which he will receive a pay-per-view bonus.
Johnson, 30, said he tried to negotiate a deal in which he would agree to face Borg and the UFC would agree to include pay-per-view bonuses in his future fights, which the promotion declined.
"I accepted the fight with Ray and decided to deal with the unfair situation and despicable treatment by Dana and [UFC matchmaker] Sean [Shelby] after I succeed in breaking the consecutive title fight defense record in my next fight [versus] Borg," Johnson's statement said.
Last month, however, Dillashaw entered the equation. Dillashaw (14-3) was scheduled to face Cody Garbrandt at UFC 213 on July 8, but Garbrandt was forced to pull out with a back injury. Dillashaw then offered to drop down from the 135-pound division to challenge Johnson, an idea White has backed.
"I've decided to speak out now as I feel like my values and character as a person and a fighter are being tarnished by an organization I've done nothing but sweat and bleed for over the last seven years of my life." Demetrious Johnson
Johnson immediately said he was not interested in facing Dillashaw, which he detailed further on Monday.
"T.J. has never fought at flyweight and is unlikely to make the weight, which would then eliminate the possibility of breaking the title defense record," Johnson said. "Second, they have already told me that a [potential] fight between Cody and I wouldn't be sellable, so fighting T.J. would have no monetary upside. Third, T.J. is not a flyweight or a current champion in another weight class and was KO'ed by the flyweight whom I beat twice already [John Dodson]. Last, Ray Borg and I already agreed to the fight, which UFC tyrannically demanded, while denying me any future PPV points."
According to Johnson, White was so agitated by his reasons to decline the fight, he threatened to "get rid of the entire flyweight division."
To address Johnson's concerns of Dillashaw not making weight, the UFC told him Borg would be booked to the same card and could "fill in" in the event Dillashaw didn't make weight. Johnson also found this to be a disrespectful way of handling his record-breaking fight.
"We told [UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard] that since it was guaranteed by T.J. and UFC was demanding and putting me in a bad circumstance, then it is fair that if T.J. didn't make weight, the fight would be off and I would still get my guarantee, plus T.J.'s guaranteed pay. Mick said that Ray would be on the card and he could fill in if T.J. didn't make weight.
"We said, oh, then which one do I train for? I thought T.J. guaranteed he was making weight. Is it a world championship with the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on earth, or an amateur tournament where I don't know who I'm fighting until I get there. Obviously there was no guarantee and they just wanted to push me to do something that they knew wasn't a good choice for my career."
Johnson is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Fighting out of Kirkland, Washington, he is currently on a 12-fight win streak and is the only flyweight champion in UFC history.
That success, however, has not translated into a strong box office appeal for the UFC. Johnson says the UFC has told him that "smaller fighters don't sell," but Johnson believes a lack of marketing support from the UFC is more to blame.
"I would challenge that the UFC doesn't even market the division," Johnson said.