MMA INDUSTRY LEADER UFC HAS LOST IT’S WAY!
Dana White In His Natural State
Los Angeles, CA- There was a time when the Ultimate Fighting Championships carried an aura of pride. Art Davie started the UFC back in 1993 as a competition to determine the greatest fighting style in the world. It was viewed as a side-show oddity by some, but fans of combat sports embraced the concept early on. As the audience for UFC has grown, the sport of mixed martial arts has evolved tenfold. Now every successful fighter employs multiple disciplines while maintaining their own individuality in the cage. The UFC’s decision to use Reebok as the official sponsor for their new uniforms combined with their decision to ban all other sponsorship on said uniforms, this is robbing fighters of their individuality and in some cases, stacks of cash!
BLACK, WHITE AND GREEN
Essentially, champions wear a black “fight kit” and challengers wear a white one. The only color that matters to President/UFC furor Dana White is green, however. Yes, the man who is estimated to be worth $300 million feels the need to squeeze a few cents out of his fighters. Before the deal, fighters could earn unlimited amounts in sponsorship. Now, there is a Reebok pay scale. The maximum a fighter can make from Reebok is reportedly $40,000 per fight for champions, which is about what a mid-tier fighter made before the deal. Middle of the road heavyweight Brendan Schaub was making $100,000 per fight selling space on his trunks, now he gets $15,000. With several lawsuits already filed against the UFC over fighter pay, one would only expect this to add more fuel to the litigation fire.
BOXING WOULDN’T STOOP AS LOW AS DANA “BIG DICK” WHITE
Boxing promoters have a history of ripping fighters off, but not even they have attempted to do what the UFC is doing. The Reebok deal shows a lack of care for fighters. Dana White needs to realize that without the blood, sweat, and tears of the fighters he lords over, he would still be teaching “boxercise” classes at local gyms. It is a shame that a business as profitable as the UFC would feel the need to nickel and dime their employees.
ARE UNIFORMS HERE TO STAY?
Time will tell whether the UFC elects to retain the Reebok fight kits. While having a uniform sponsor is not necessarily bad on paper, the idea needs a great deal of tweaking to ensure that originality is preserved and fighters are able to earn as much money as possible for the sacrifices they make to their own well-being. THE UFC has done a lot of good throughout its history, but it must pay fighters fairly in the future to repair it’s reputation.
Zack “Attack” Young
Co-host Sports Overnight “Weekend” Edition
UFC & REEBOK STEALING MONEY FROM FIGHTERS