Demetrious Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champion, recently dropped a bombshell by revealing that the UFC provided quarterly incentives to fighters based on their Instagram traffic. Here’s what he shared:
The UFC encouraged fighters to remain active on social media and promote upcoming fights. They rewarded fighters based on their social media engagement. The fighter with the most traffic would receive a substantial reward. Specifically:
First Place: $25,000
Second Place: $12,000
Third Place: $5,000
Additional incentives might have been given as well. The UFC aimed to boost fight visibility by incentivizing fighters to talk about upcoming events on social media platforms.
Chael Sonnen, another UFC fighter, confirmed this practice and emphasized the importance of social media engagement. He himself benefited from the pay structure by winning incentives for his Twitter activity.
The UFC’s social media incentives encouraged fighters like Demetrious Johnson to actively engage with fans and promote fights through platforms like Instagram. It highlights how the promotion recognized the impact of social media in building fighters’ brands and fight visibility.
Demetrious Johnson reveals that the UFC gave incentives to fighters who “had the most traffic” across their social media accounts:
“They would give you incentives. I think it was quarterly incentives like, whoever had the most traffic… first person would get $25K, $12K, and… pic.twitter.com/feAUmilmDX
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 15, 2024
Demetrious Johnson’s Journey, From Humble Beginnings to UFC Stardom
Demetrious Johnson was born in Kentucky in 1986 but grew up in Parkland, Washington. Raised by a determined and resilient single mother who was deaf, Johnson faced challenges but harbored no resentment. Instead, he used his experiences to shape his character and become a better person.
Childhood: Johnson enjoyed his childhood, unaware of his mother’s deafness until later in life. He had a close bond with his siblings and appreciated his mother’s unwavering support.
Sports Enthusiast: Always drawn to sports, Johnson participated in football, track, and cross country. Wrestling, however, captured his heart. The one-on-one nature of wrestling appealed to him, emphasizing hard work and personal effort.
Martial Arts Discovery: At 13, Johnson joined the wrestling team and discovered his passion for martial arts. The mats became his arena, where he thrived on hard work and determination.
Transition to MMA: In 2005, Johnson saw mixed martial artists on a reality TV show and decided to try it out. Inspired by Rashad Evans hitting a bag, he stepped into the world of MMA and never looked back.