According to Ad Week (via FOX Sports), UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is ‘likely be the face of the UFC’s first official outfitting deal,’ so says Mike Mossholder, UFC’s Senior Vice President of global marketing partnerships.
Mossholder says the UFC is ‘actively engaged in conversations’ with a ‘premium apparel line’ to produce the promotion’s own exclusive uniform inside the Octagon and that Rousey is ‘highly likely’ to be ‘highlighted.’ Referred to by Mossholder as the ‘No. 1 most requested athlete’ by UFC sponsors like MetroPCS, Rousey now ranks No. 3 in ticket sales for UFC, as reported by Ad Week.
Rather than sporting gear produced by a smaller clothing company, Rousey currently wears UFC branded shorts and top while competing. Rousey also represented the UFC’s official energy drink, Xyience, in her Jul. 5 bout with Alexis Davis, sporting the brand’s logo on her backside.
Citing Mike Tyson as an example, Rousey says she belives in excentuating the few sponsors she chooses to work with. “You give yourself more value if you don’t walk out looking like a race car covered in ads,” Rousey said. “I like to think my sponsors are valued more because it’s more clean looking.”
Mossholder wouldn’t reveal which brand is in talks for the exclusive uniform deal and reps from Nike, Under Armour and Adidas declined to comment.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Full-on Phenom. Vitor Belfort compares himself to an animal and says he isn’t worried about Chris Weidman because he’s in another dimension. ‘It’s not personal. It’s personal in the Octagon, but I just have to be better, how I can kick and how I can knee. I’m also improving, and that’s why I’m fighting in another dimension now.’
Heel. Daniel Cormier says Jon Jones should abandon his good guy act because people have already stopped believing in it. ‘I like his heel persona. But for me, it just tells me that he’s a bit uncomfortable because this is out of character for Jon Jones. He doesn’t directly go at his opponents like he has with me. This is out of character a little bit.’
Big Fox. Chuck Mindenhall explains how Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown made the most of their time Saturday night on the network.
Johny Two Arms. UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks is excited about being healthy for a second fight with Robbie Lawler.
Fortunes changed for five. Dave Meltzer explains how Robbie Lawler, Matt Brown, Anthony Johnson, Dennis Bermudez and Josh Thomson move forward from UFC on FOX 12.
Make sure to check out The MMA Hour with Vitor Belfort, Daniel Cormier, CM Punk, Johny Hendricks, Rashad Evans, Brendan Schaub and Chuck Mindenhall.
MEDIA STEW
Freddie Roach breaks down a fight between Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre.
Highlights from Bellator 122.
Michael Bisping on Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Nick Diaz Vs Anderson Silva & Cung Le.
More from Inside MMA on the NSAC hearings with Vitor Belfort and Chael Sonnen.
Marcos Maidana reacting to Floyd Mayweather calling him an ‘MMA fighter.’
A nice profile of San Jose as a fight town.
Long watches.
‘Rowdy Ronda Rousey’ – ESPN’s 9 for IX short film.
…
Ivan Farneti – Glory Kickboxing | London Real
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Full Event Video: Watch Shooto Gig – Tokyo Vol. 17: Ishibashi vs. Mizuno
TWEETS
Deleted, of course.
I moisturize “@Lakercity1: @JonnyBones He said you have soft hands.”
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) July 29, 2014
But he was impressed with Rumble.
Man that was awesome, he looked great “@Arkenstar: @JonnyBones what did you think about rumbles performance? excited?”
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) July 29, 2014
Featherweight matchmaking.
Some Featherweight fights I’d like to see @ufc pic.twitter.com/dFeW9AlZoi
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) July 29, 2014
@AkiraCorassani @BradTavares if Zombie don’t take that fight I’ll accept it right now! Lmk
— Jeremy Stephens (@LiLHeathenMMA) July 28, 2014
Yes.
The answer is yes to everyone who keeps if id take the fight. @ufc @danawhite already have my signature,ready today! Next week. Say the word
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) July 29, 2014
Why not.
Jake in the house Wand team bem vinco jake! Vai treinar conosco esses dias aqui na Wand Team muito… http://t.co/zLrnICeB6A
— Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) July 29, 2014
No context necessary.
@DustinPoirier @ufc Do you and @clayguida have the same manger??? pic.twitter.com/BBhlfyYpnh
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) July 29, 2014
That time Pat Barry rescued a woman trapped in a hotel bathroom.
Not exactly a tweet but it deserves mention. Jorge Masvidal went back to a three-day old Facebook post and took some time to go troll random people who thought he was looking past Daron Cruickshank. There’s a lot more.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Jul. 28 2014)
Urijah Faber vs. Masenori Kanehara at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson
Roland Delorme vs. Yuta Sasaki at UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Le
Milana Dudieva vs. Elizabeth Phillips at UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Le
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.