Over the last few months, one of the major points of discussion in the MMA community has been the onset of fighters, specifically champions, seeking "money fights." Conor McGregor made the phrase "red panty night" part of the MMA lexicon back in September and since then champions like Tyron Woodley, Dominick Cruz, and Eddie Alvarez have been angling for the highest profile fights possible, eschewing the more established contenders in their respective divisions.

One champion who has been absent from this shift though has been Demetrious Johnson. Johnson is one of the few fighters fans have been actively hoping would make a jump up in weight, having throttled the rest of the 125-pound division. But despite this, the flyweight kingpin has made no real overtures towards a superfight rematch with Dominick Cruz. That may be about to change soon though. Speaking with Submission Radio recently, Johnson discussed why he hasn't been aggressive in seeking bigger name fights and his thoughts on the recent trend of champions avoiding presumed challengers.

"Doesn't matter to me. My paycheck is exactly the same. I think you see a lot of guys who are starting to come out and say, 'no I'm not going to fight that guy, even though he's the number one contender because I want a better pay check,' and you're starting to see a lot of champions do it. I understand why they're doing it; because the UFC have made it a point - champions don't get paid the top dollars.

"And you've got a guy who can come out, who's never lost - I have nothing against GSP, but I like to keep it real - you have a guy that hasn't been active in three years and he's (probably going to make) way more money than any champion on the roster - probably same as Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz - but that's what the UFC has started to do.

"And you're starting to see a lot of people say, 'if I don't get this title shot, this is not a sport at all,' and I think we're starting to lose that mystique to where you have two of the best fighters in the world, going out to fight each other to become the champion. But now, everybody is like, 'I don't want to fight the number one contender, I want to fight the guy who everybody likes to watch fight, so that I get that big pay check.' Trust me, I'm about to jump in that boat too, but I will never turn down a fight and I'll just fight anybody."

Johnson is one of the few fighters who would likely not receive any backlash for demanding a big money fight, in part because there is no clear cut contender for him to challenge. Johnson's dominance of flyweight is so complete the UFC built the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter around looking for a challenger for him from one of the champions of various other MMA organizations. The winner of the season gets to challenge Johnson for the UFC flyweight championship on December 3rd at the finale of the show.

The odds seem low that a fighter previously deemed unworthy of being picked up by the world's premiere MMA organization will suddenly come in and upset the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, but if they do, Johnson might find himself in the same boat as several other recently deposed champions who have faced a dramatic pay cut. For instance, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold says he recently turned down a fight because the "money was bullshit," (he would later sign on to face Jacare Souza later this year, though there is no indication if this is the same fight he passed on). When asked if this added pressure to his performances, Johnson was sympathetic.

"I think that's with anybody. I think the only person who will ever lose in a fight and still end up making a million dollars, is Conor McGregor - that's just because of how his contract is structured or whatever. But you got a guy like Luke Rockhold, where he was a champion and then he lost and now his pay isn't what it used to be when he was the champion and he's a little upset about that. I totally understand that. It totally makes sense. Same thing with TJ Dillashaw. I was mind-boggled when I saw that, how Sage Northcutt made more than the (former) champion of the 135-pound division. So I mean, that's just to show you."

Northcutt faced criticism for his high pay scale after it became public that the MMA neophyte was making more than many well established fighters despite not having the same quality of resume. Now with CM Punk making a $500,000 guaranteed payday for his MMA debut, that same conversation is being rehashed. Punk's pay is even more stark considering the career earnings of Johnson. Despite being the longest reigning current champion, and an active one at that, Johnson says he is still not solvent enough to retire should he need to.

"I'm only 30 now and I had 10 years. I've fought for the UFC since 2011. So what is that? Essentially, five years I've competed in the UFC and I've been the champion for almost four years. I can't retire right now. So if I was an NFL player and I played four years and won the super bowl four years in a row, I guarantee I can f**king retire. You're starting to see a lot of fighters like, 'we want more money so we can be able to retire eventually,' instead of, we get to 30 years old and we're like, 'alright, I think Costco has openings.'"

Many fighters have been much more vocal about low pay recently as a result of Zuffa selling the UFC for a reported $4 billion. Considering that hefty price tag, a long reigning champion like Johnson is making a pretty reasonable request to undertake a superfight with Dominick Cruz.

"I think $2 million is fair. I think it's $2 million. Obviously we don't have the same fanbase, you know, we're not prom king or prince or duke or whatever like Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz are. But I'll tell you what, our skillset and what we've done in the past as mixed martial artists in this sport - shit, Dominick Cruz has defended his belt more times than Conor McGregor has and Conor McGregor is more active than Dominick Cruz. So that right there, just what we bring to the table as athletes and what we've done in this sport, I think that deserves two million dollars, especially since the UFC got bought for 4.2 billion dollars. WME-IMG has the cash to front this fight."

But whether they will want to front that cash is an entirely different matter, one Johnson eventually intends to find out. In the meantime, the champion's plan is first to defend his belt against The Ultimate Fighter winner and then break Anderson Silva's record of 10 UFC title defenses. After that, then he plans to see about a superfight with Cruz.

"So with that being said, obviously we got the Ultimate Fighter fight first, and if everything goes well in that fight, then hopefully we fight again. And when I break the record, you know, we go talk and I'm like, 'Yo, you guys want a super fight?... If you guys want this fight to happen, this is my price. If you don't, I'll keep whooping ass at 125.' That's how a negotiation goes for me. Like, this is what I want. You guys have an agenda; this is my agenda. If you guys have a problem with me wanting to retire eventually one day from putting my body on the line for seven, eight years for this company, alright, then let's make it happen. If we don't see eye to eye, then okay. I can keep doing other things that are going to make me successful."

You can listen to the full interview below.

MUST-READ STORIES

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Half cup. Jimmie Rivera thinks Urijah Faber's eye poke was "a little bit" intentional.

Werdum please. Junior dos Santos is looking for a big fight.

EXTRA CREDIT READING

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MEDIA STEW

Fights!

PVZ on Punk

We all know it's gonna happen so here's a fan promo.

LISTEN UP

Brit Pack

Beatdown

Show the Art

TWEETS

Mickey Gall gets it.

2 clarify, I don't hate super @sagenorthcutt . I LOVE him. Would be an honor 2 fight him. Def b a fun fight. He's a tough kid. He is also — Mickey Gall (@mickeygall) September 12, 2016

Lol.

Drax vs. CM Punk at Bellator 180

Hanging with the one and only @DaveBautista in London today on the set of #FinalScorepic.twitter.com/ECs9n5UnXl — Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) September 12, 2016

Be better at negotiations.

@shaunalshatti what a joke — Rory MacDonald (@rory_macdonald) September 12, 2016

Instead of getting mad about it, peep the game, take pointers, find your own lane, and get yours. #duhhttps://t.co/Aq5jY70iUU — Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86) September 12, 2016

Would absolutely watch.

Yes sir. Now call Dana or Joe tweeting doesn't get get papers signed https://t.co/u8WtSSQVAK — Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) September 11, 2016

Cat throwing heaters.

Maybe if you didn't look like the bottom of a foot you'd have better things to do than look at unmarketable ol' mehttps://t.co/LYt3ai9z21 — Alpha Cat Zingano (@CatZingano) September 13, 2016

This is concerning.

Joe Rogan absolutely destroys CM Punk.

This is awesome.

Nik Lentz vs Conor McGregor? A video posted by MMAFighting.com (@mmafightingdotcom) on Sep 11, 2016 at 3:16pm PDT

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

James Gallagher (4-0-0) vs. Kirill Medvedovsky (7-2-0); Bellator 164, November 10.





TODAY IN MMA HISTORY 2014: Andrei Arlovski earned a Performance of the Night bonus for knocking out Antonio Silva in the main event of UFC Fight Night 51.

FINAL THOUGHTS

For all y'all upset about Punk getting paid, you better believe he's going to get another crack at it. I know Dana said he won't but Dana also said they weren't selling the UFC, and that Brock wasn't coming back, and 100 other things that were categorically wrong. Punk won't get put on another PPV - they fired that one shot. But if you don't think he's either gonna fight Mike Jackson on a FOX card or be on the next season of TUF, you're outside your mind. Promoters want to draw eyeballs and Punk will continue to do that so long as they keep marketing this as an MMA journey and not something more.

Have a good one everybody. See you tomorrow.

If you find something you'd like to see in the Morning Report, just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and let me know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting because we post dope things and you should enjoy them.