ONE Championship: Demetrious Johnson backs Ariel Helwani in row with UFC’s Paddy Pimblett
- Former UFC legend weighs in on the British lightweight’s row with prominent MMA journalist Hewlani
- ‘I’ve never been paid to be on any interview,’ says ONE flyweight MMA king, who insists ‘I think it’s best I don’t do Paddy’s podcast’
ONE Championship flyweight king Demetrious Johnson has given his backing to Ariel Helwani in the prominent MMA journalist’s row with UFC star Paddy Pimblett.
“The Baddy” recently called Helwani a “rodent” for expecting him to give a free interview on Helwani’s weekly YouTube show, The MMA Hour.
Helwani in turn hit back at British lightweight Pimblett (20-3), who disparaged him on his own podcast in an interview with UFC president Dana White – who himself is not an admirer, to say the least, of Helwani.
“When you go on these interviews or podcasts, nobody gets paid. I’ve never been paid to be on any interview,” legendary former UFC flyweight champ Johnson said, however, on a recent Twitch stream. “Joe Rogan, Barstool Sports … I mean, you name it. I’ve never been paid to be on any podcast whatsoever.
“Guys, I have won 13 world championships, and I’m not saying I’m as big a star as Paddy – he has way more followers, he can sell 800,000 pay-per-view points, I don’t know.