Demetrious Johnson Reveals Big Bucks From EA UFC Games, While 'Cover Curse' Strikes Again

Photo: Instagram/Demetrious Johnson

Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has shared some surprising insights into the world of professional gaming. In a recent reveal on his official YouTube channel, Johnson disclosed that he's pocketed a hefty sum from his appearances in the EA Sports UFC video game series. The total? A cool $72,500. What's interesting is how this money comes rolling in: not as a flat fee for his likeness, but as a result of fans playing as him in the game, boosting his character's popularity and earning him a paycheck.

According to Johnson, the first check he received, a sweet $25,000, was a complete surprise. He described it as "free money just coming to me," and subsequent payments followed suit, including $12,500 for UFC 3 and $10,000 for being on the cover of UFC 3's Icon Edition. Even after parting ways with UFC to join ONE Championship, Johnson continued to rake in the dough, scoring another $25,000 for UFC 4.

But the gravy train doesn't stop there. Johnson hinted at more checks to come, as he hasn't received any revenue from the latest installment, UFC 5, yet. His message to fans? Keep using his character, keep the popularity up, and the checks will keep coming.

Photo: Instagram/Demetrious Johnson

While this windfall is undoubtedly a boon for Johnson, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for fighters featured on the game covers. Enter the "UFC Cover Curse." This spooky phenomenon suggests that fighters who grace the cover of an official UFC game are cursed to lose their next fight, often in spectacular fashion.

Examples abound: Alexander Gustafsson, Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and more have all fallen victim to this eerie pattern. Even recent cover stars like Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya have tasted defeat shortly after their game-covering glory.

The curse seems to linger even into the latest release, UFC 5, with Alexander Volkanovski losing just before the game's launch, and co-cover star Valentina Shevchenko dropping her title months prior.

Despite the curse looming over cover stars, Demetrious Johnson remains grateful for the unexpected windfall from the gaming world, proving that sometimes, virtual victories can lead to real-world rewards.

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Source: Bloody Elbow