Demetrious Johnson has responded to calls from UFC star Conor McGregor for ONE Championship to sign the lengthy list of laid-off UFC flyweights.
UFC President Dana White is reported to be folding the flyweight division, a weight class where Johnson enjoyed remarkable success during his career with the company. However, those days are behind him now after an unprecedented trade saw Ben Askren join the UFC and Johnson swap into ONE.
Last month, Conor McGregor called ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong to sign the entire roster.
You must now take all the 125lbers that have been let go, Chatri.
You talk all of this Martial Art and respect talk, yet your greed has directly cost more than half a fighting division it’s chance to earn income for their family.
Have respect @YODCHATRI.
Sign the division.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 8, 2018
Per MMA Fighting, Johnson claimed McGregor could also help the division if he truly wanted to.
"I don’t get where this logic comes behind that. What makes him think Chatri owes somebody something? If he’s worried flyweights losing their jobs, I’m pretty sure he has a huge stake in the UFC company now."
I’m sure he can go to Dana, and be like Dana, ‘Keep these guys, these guys are fucking amazing. Let’s try to do this right. Let’s try to promote them.’ Facilitate a meeting of those who can [change things], with Proper Whiskey. ‘Let’s sit down and have a good talk.’ I’m sure he could come up with something if he really wanted to do it.
As I said, that’s Conor’s opinion of what he thinks should happen. This is a guy who just business, you know, the Barclay’s Center [thing], throwing the dolly in the bus, hurting multiple people. I truly think he doesn’t care. But that’s just my personal opinion.
Bellator and UFC contender Josh Thomson has reported that the division will be scrapped and Dana White did admit its future "is murky right now" when speaking to MMA Junkie.
125 weight class is done after @TJDillashaw VS @HenryCejudo from all the @ufc executives I've talk to. 165lb weight class is replacing it https://t.co/TtloqSgvng
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) December 1, 2018