UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon is one of the very few fighters to have an open mind regarding the UFC’s exclusive apparel partnership with Reebok.
Ever since the deal was made, fighters have come out of the woodwork to criticize the deal, which they feel has taken money out of their pockets due to the inability to wear any other sponsors on their in-cage fight gear.
The Massachusetts native discussed his thoughts on the UFC’s relationship with Reebok and why all these complaints could hurt the sport for future sponsorship deals once the Reebok contract is up.
“We’ve become toxic at this point,” Lauzon said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “There’s no way that Nike, or Under Armour or some other sponsor is going to come in, because, the UFC took the best offer they got, right? Reeb“We’ve basically become toxic at this point,” Lauzon said on The MMA Hour. “There’s no way that Nike, or Under Armour or some other sponsor is going to come in, because, the UFC took the best offer they got, right? Reebok offered the most money. It’s not like Nike came in and was going to give them more money and the UFC went, ‘no, we’re going to go with Reebok instead.’ They went with the best offer, so Reebok was willing to spend the most, and take a gamble on us, and it’s backfired, it’s shot them in the face, right? It has not worked out at all.”ok offered the most money. It’s not like Nike came in and was going to give them more money and the UFC went, ‘no, we’re going to go with Reebok instead.’ They went with the best offer, so Reebok was willing to spend the most, and take a gamble on us, and it’s backfired, it’s shot them in the face, right? It has not worked out at all.”
“For me, I think about my show and win money,” Lauzon said. “Everything is coming from the UFC at this point, right? My contract I’m at 62 and 62. And I get 20 in sponsors. So I don’t think my show money is 62 and 62, my show money is now 82. So it doesn’t matter what’s coming from show, what’s coming from Reebok. It’s what I’m depositing in my bank account. I’m sure Gustafsson, who is a huge name, he’s getting a lot more money on the contract end.”
While the 11-year veteran certainly benefits from having enough UFC fights to bank $20k from Reebok sponsorship money, Lauzon still feels that the UFC took the best deal they could get. According to Lauzon, all these complaints coming from fighters will only hurt their chances for a better sponsorship deal in the future.
“All these fighters complaining, it’s not going to look good coming down the line,” Lauzon said. “When this deal is over, sponsors are going to be pretty much done as far as fighters go with apparel. They’re going to oop, you guys ruined it, you guys screwed yourself. So my thing is, if you’re more positive about stuff, be more positive about stuff, and wear Reebok, Reebok will make some money, and then hopefully Reebok will either renew, or someone else will come in over the top and come up with more money.”
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