Is the UFC really a sport, or just a business in disguise? That’s the bold question Demetrious Johnson is asking after the UFC’s decision to grant Diego Lopes another title shot, despite his recent loss to Alexander Volkanovski. But here’s where it gets controversial: Johnson argues that the UFC’s choices often prioritize popularity and marketability over athletic merit, blurring the lines between sport and entertainment. Let’s break it down.
Diego Lopes (27-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) fell short against Volkanovski in their vacant featherweight title fight at UFC 314. While he bounced back with a knockout win over Jean Silva at UFC Fight Night 259, Johnson believes this wasn’t enough to justify another shot at the title, especially with undefeated contenders like Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev waiting in the wings. Lopes will now face Volkanovski again in the UFC 325 headliner on January 31 in Sydney, leaving many scratching their heads.
‘You had your chance, you lost,’ Johnson said bluntly on his YouTube channel, dissecting Lopes’s situation. ‘It was a dominant 4-1 decision for Volkanovski. Then Lopes beats Jean Silva in a back-and-forth war, and suddenly he’s back in the title picture?’ Johnson questions whether this decision is driven by Lopes’s popularity or his ability to sell tickets rather than his actual performance in the octagon. ‘Are we rewarding skill, or are we chasing markets?’ he asks. And this is the part most people miss: If the UFC is prioritizing marketability over merit, it raises serious questions about its legitimacy as a sport.
Johnson doesn’t stop there. He points to Sean O’Malley’s immediate title-fight rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 as another example of the promotion favoring certain fighters. ‘It’s not about who’s better, it’s about who’s more marketable,’ he argues. ‘If that’s the case, just be honest about it.’
This isn’t just a critique—it’s a call for transparency. Johnson’s stance is clear: if the UFC is going to operate as a business first and a sport second, fans deserve to know. But what do you think? Is the UFC still a legitimate sport, or has it become a platform for pushing specific athletes? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments—this debate is far from over.
