Demetrious Johnson denies One Championship ‘conflict of interest’ over coach Matt Hume
- Matt Hume is a matchmaker and senior vice-president at One but no longer corners ‘Mighty Mouse’ for his fights
- ‘I don’t see that’s the case at all … he can’t fight for me,’ Johnson says of his long-time coach
Demetrious Johnson doesn’t think there is a conflict of interest with his long-time coach Matt Hume also having a role as a matchmaker and senior vice-president at One Championship.
“Mighty Mouse” was without Hume in his corner for the first time in his professional career when he laboured to a unanimous decision win against Tatsumitsu Wada in Manila on August 2.
Having Hume involved in booking bouts has drawn some recent criticism.
“I don’t think there can be [a conflict of interest] because he can’t fight for me,” the former UFC flyweight champion told Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “I haven’t heard this criticism, typically he doesn’t do all that stuff – it’s one of the other guys who handles all our bout agreements.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard anybody say that, I don’t see that’s the case at all.”
Johnson, who fights in the flyweight grand prix final against Danny Kingad on October 13 in Tokyo, pointed to the stiff level of competition he’s been facing in the Asian MMA organisation.