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Cody Garbrandt would still like Demetrious Johnson showdown as long as UFC pays up

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LOS ANGELES – Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt’s first order of business is to recapture the title he held just eight months ago.

But Garbrandt hasn’t lost interest in a potential super fight with flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson.

“If they go out and compensate us, I’ll be more than willing to fight ‘Mighty Mouse’ at 125 pounds,” Garbrandt said Monday during a media luncheon in support of his pay-per-view rematch against champ T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 227, which takes place Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Talk of a super fight has hovered over Johnson’s career as he approached and then broke the record for consecutive title defenses. The UFC has tried to make Garbrandt vs. Johnson and Dillashaw (15-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) vs. Johnson, only to see the flyweight champ opt for contenders in his division.

Johnson (27-2-1 MMA, 15-1-1 UFC) repeatedly has made it clear he needs a $2 million payday to agree to such a super fight. Garbrandt (11-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) isn’t giving out specific numbers, but he said the demands of moving down require a commensurate increase in pay.

“If they don’t want to pay us, I’ll stay at 135 pounds and clean out my division, and (Johnson) will keep doing what he’s doing,” Garbrandt said. “No ill words toward ‘Mighty Mouse.’ I think he’s a great, great fighter. But they’ve got to compensate us for that. I think it’s going to be a great fight.”

Garbrandt made sure to note that it was his idea to challenge Johnson before Dillashaw called him out, too.

“They didn’t make the T.J. (vs.) ‘D.J.’ match because they wanted me to go down there and do it,” Garbrandt said. “That was my plan originally. T.J. took that from me. He’s not original, but we’ll take care of him this Saturday.”

After the birth of his son and a knockout loss to Dillashaw last November, Garbrandt is a lot more conscious of what’s at stake for his career – and the physical sacrifices he makes to succeed. Garbrandt said he came into the fight with Dillashaw after suffering four slipped discs and one herniated disc in his back. He said he took the fight “coming off the couch” and wasn’t in the right place mentally.

Although he makes no excuses for the outcome, he said he’s a completely different fighter than he was before.

Garbrandt said he walks around at 148 pounds and could “easily” make the flyweight title limit. But the requirements of moving down in weight come with a price tag.

“I’ve got to go down a weight class, have a longer camp, invest money on the nutritional side and all that,” he said.

Garbrandt said the life of a fighter is financially precarious. He talked openly about his struggles as an up-and-comer and said it’s “crazy” that lesser experienced fighters sometimes make only $10,000 to show and $10,000 to win.

“You’ve got NFL and NHL players making millions and millions,” Garbrandt said. “But we’re the fastest growing sport in the world. Something’s got to change.”

Garbrandt said he supported the idea of collective bargaining but was unsure of whether a union is the best approach. He’s open to working with other fighters to ensure a better future, though he added there will always be youngster willing to undercut others to get an opportunity in the UFC.

“The pay’s got to get better,” Garbrandt said. “But I mean, I’m going in there and fighting, and here’s what I think: You’ve got to keep winning. The cream of the crop gets paid the most, and everyone knows that.”

Garbrandt’s stance isn’t that different from his longtime rival, Dillashaw, who joined on to the ill-fated MMA Athletes Association in an effort to get better treatment for UFC fighters.

On Saturday, Garbrandt expects to earn his keep and secure his family’s financial future. If a super fight with Johnson helps him do that, he’s all for it.

For more on UFC 228, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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