Ryan Bader’s support of the United States military has been one of the light heavyweight contender’s primary focuses during his time under the UFC banner, and those efforts are continuing with his most recent contribution to Hire Heroes USA.
The former Arizona State-wrestling-standout-turned top-ranked mixed martial artist’s $5,000 donation to the organization lead by former UFC standout and decorated military veteran Brian Stann is the latest contribution in what has been an ongoing effort from the Nevada native. Over the past five years, Bader has worked with companies dedicated to providing support for service men and women who are returning from war and attempting to adjust to civilian life.
Hire Heroes puts their focus on assisting those soldiers establish employment—with their current rate of success placing 50 veterans in jobs per week—and Bader’s most recent donation will ensure more service members will return to the workforce.
Throughout his career, the Power MMA leader has cited the sacrifices made by soldiers in the American Armed Forces as a huge source of inspiration in both his personal and professional lives, and has worked diligently to use his platform as a professional athlete to give back to a cause that means a great deal to him.
While the men and women returning from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq certainly have a complex journey ahead of them when returning stateside, Bader is an athlete who truly believes every bit of help—whether monetary or personal time invested—can and should be made.
“One of the things Ryan liked best about our operation is he could see exactly how detailed we do our work, how we spend our money and the successes we’ve had,” Stann told Bleacher Report. “He could see our proven metrics, and after seeing those things, he decided to donate $5,000 of his purse from his fight with Phil Davis in Sweden.
“That is a lot of money for an individual to donate, especially when that individual isn’t a Fortune 500 CEO with tens of millions in the bank. That donation he made was extraordinarily generous, and he was set to make another donation for his fight on June 6 in New Orleans, but when I saw his fight got pushed back, I didn’t expect anything.
“Then Ryan calls to tell me he still wants to provide his support and has made a second contribution to Hire Heroes for $5,000 and we are in talks for him to do even more. Those things are humbling to see and really say a lot about who Ryan Bader is.”
While Bader’s philanthropic works are measures he pursues beyond circumstances, his donation to Hire Heroes comes at a time when the environment he makes a living in is drastically shifting. The surging 205-pound contender has been vocal about how the upcoming Reebok deal with the UFC will impact his personal bottom line, as he is set to lose a solid portion of the income he generates through sponsorships when the program begins in July.
The fighter and his management are hoping those losses will only exist in the short term as Bader recently extended his partnerships with American Ethanol—who also has a lengthy track record of supporting the American military—Sanford Health and Cytosport in long-term agreements. Yet, regardless of how the current structure of the UFC’s sponsorship deal will affect things in the months to come, Bader’s work with the military will continue.
His recent contribution to Hire Heroes serves as further proof of his ongoing commitment.
“Ryan sees the soldiers as the real heroes and does everything he can to give back to them,” his manager, Dave Martin, told Bleacher Report. “Just being able to have the career he has is something he credits the United States military for making possible. He really looks up to the men and women who protect this country and it’s more than just writing a check to him. Every time he’s on a fight card, he buys tickets, he gives to veterans and takes them out to dinner on fight week. That’s how much they mean to him.
“When you factor in what he’s going to lose per fight in the Reebok deal—at least in the short term—it really shows what Ryan Bader is all about. He’s a man of strong character, and that’s the reason these companies like American Ethanol, Cytosport and Sanford Health are staying with him despite the shift in the sponsorship landscape.”
In addition to the monetary donation Bader made to Hire Heroes, Stann also confirmed The Ultimate Fighter Season Eight winner will work with the foundation in other areas as well. The Silver Star medal recipient is excited about the partnership and believes Bader’s involvement will bring attention and assistance to one of the most serious issues the men and women who have served their nation in combat are facing.
Stann and Hire Heroes are looking forward to future endeavors with Bader as they will continue to help service members’ transition into their next life beyond the military.
“As beneficial as the finances are, he lets us know he wanted wear our logo on his shirt on his way out to the Octagon to fight Phil Davis live on Fox. We were grateful and surprised because these are things he doesn’t have to do.
“As it turns out, a day later a person registers for help on our website specifically citing Ryan Bader, and inside of two months that young man was in a new job. He is now gainfully employed and receiving a good paycheck. It was really cool to see that happen, and that’s just one example of the things that have happened from Ryan’s efforts.
“He goes to different conventions and meetings with his sponsors and different companies he’s been endorsed by before and trying to get them on board about hiring more service members. That’s fantastic because he’s basically leveraging his entire brand to coincide with our mission to do what we have set out to do.
“Those efforts really speak volumes for Ryan’s character. He’s a very patriotic guy who really believes in the assisting and ensuring the right care and proper transition takes place for service members going into the workforce.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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