Borg: Motherf@$%er DJ is using me to get more $ to fight T.J.
Ray Borg: “I’m thinking this motherf***er is just using me as a negotiating tactic to get the money he wants to fight TJ because Demetrious is not scared of any fight.”
UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and league president Dana White are in a very public disagreement. DJ wants the UFC to promote their best pound-for-pound fighter better, and make a fight with the next 125 fighter in line – Ray Borg. White wants Johnson to accept a title defense vs. former bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, which, with the UFC’s title defense record being on the line, the UFC feels they can market for a pay-per-view television show. Hanging over all this a discussion within UFC management about whether the scrap the division all together.
Hanging over all this a discussion within UFC management about whether the scrap the division all together. Given the league’s desire to expand into Asia, and the rush to add the women’s featherweight division, it seems highly unlikely. Never the less, Johnson felt like it was being held over his head.
Ray Borg, who Johnson says should get the next title shot, it caught in the middle, and he’s not happy about it.
“At first, at least my name was getting out there,” said Borg to Brett Okamoto for ESPN.com. “I thought, ‘Hey, if people didn’t know me before, they do now.'”
“But now, the longer it goes, the more annoying and stressful it gets. I have no f***ing clue what’s going on. It was me, TJ and Demetrious in this little bubble, trying to figure out who’s fighting who. Now, it’s all Dana and Demetrious going at it.”
“It just sucks because DJ’s problems with the UFC are his. He’s not a marketable guy. Maybe it’s because he’s goofy or a family man, I don’t know. But he has his issues with the UFC and what drives me crazy is that it’s being taken out on the whole division. If DJ has a situation with the UFC, cool. Keep it between those two. It doesn’t need to affect the rest of us trying to make our names and money for our families.
“The UFC is claiming they want to close the division because it doesn’t sell? We haven’t had a chance to sell. DJ has been the only face, and that’s why it hasn’t sold. He’s kind of held it back a little — and that’s not his fault. He’s a great fighter, but unfortunately he’s not what the fans are about right now. They’re bored.”
“I’m not a guy to be used. I’m no one’s pawn. When DJ first came out and said he wanted to fight me instead of T.J. because of the flyweight rankings, I said, ‘Oh, wow. I really respect that.’ Now, I’m putting two and two together in my head and I’m thinking this motherf***er is just using me as a negotiating tactic to get the money he wants to fight TJ because Demetrious is not scared of any fight.
“I need to know when I’m fighting next. As of right now, I can’t tell you anything. No one really understands this. Everyone talks about how they’ll fight anyone, anytime, anywhere — that stupid cliche — but I truly, truly do not care who I fight. I just want to stay active. I want to stay busy. That is the only thing I want.”