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Venum took over as the official sponsor of the UFC fight gear this month, launching their range online today. After the debacle that was the Reebok/UFC partnership, fans are far from excited by the announcement of a new official clothing sponsor.
While Venum has a long history in combat sports, it’s not exactly a household name. What if a more well-known, fashionable brand took over the UFC fight gear and merchandise?
Here are 5 brands we would love to see sponsor the UFC’s apparel.
#5 Puma
German sportswear company Puma would be a welcome addition to the UFC family as they already have a history of creating cool, unique apparel across many different sports.
Puma recently dipped their toe into the MMA world by signing UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya to a multi-year deal. The Kiwi fighter became the first MMA fighter to be signed by the sportswear giant.
‘The Last Stylebender’ joins Brazilian football star Neymar, sprinter Usain Bolt, F1 champion Lewis Hamilton and new creative director for basketball Jay-Z as part of the Puma family.
Let’s hope that Puma continues to work in the MMA space and eventually becomes an official UFC sponsor.
#4 Under Armour
Under Armour, one of the fastest-growing sportswear brands, has been long rumored to be a potential UFC partner. Their leading ambassador, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, is a big UFC fan. He even presented the BMF championship belt to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 in New York.
Under Armour has also sponsored UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre for many years along with boxing superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. The brand is also famous for its footwear due to the sponsorship deal with NBA Allstar Steph Curry.
#3 Roots of Fight
Canadian media and lifestyle company Roots of Fight doesn’t have the brand recognition of a Puma or Under Armour. However, they do have one of the coolest merchandise ranges in the fight game.
Roots of Fight celebrate the improbable achievements of legendary athletes, innovators, and cultural icons, including Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Bruce Lee, Babe Ruth, Shaquille O’Neal, and more.
Roots of Fight also have their own MMA collection featuring GSP, Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie, and Conor McGregor as faces of the brand. It would be a huge upgrade in the look and feel of UFC apparel if Roots of Fight were to take over.
#2 Adidas
One of the most famous sports brands in the world is German sportswear company Adidas. Famous for their three-stripe design, Adidas would bring an iconic look to the Octagon.
The Adidas family includes icons like Lionel Messi, James Harden, Pat Mahomes, and world-famous sports teams such as Real Madrid, The All Blacks rugby team, and Manchester United.
In 2014, Adidas announced a partnership with UFC stars Luke Rockhold and Robbie Lawler but this union was short-lived. Hopefully, in the coming years, Adidas can get back into the fight game and upgrade the UFC's apparel range.
#1 Nike
When Dana White mentioned that the UFC was getting a new apparel sponsor, most UFC fans expected that it would be Nike. The global sportswear leader seems like the perfect fit for the top organization in MMA.
Nike has sponsored individual UFC fighters over the years including Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Junior Dos Santos. They also sponsor boxing world champion ‘Triple G’ Gennady Golovkin.
Seeing the famous 'tick' logo in the Octagon would showcase just how far the UFC has come in the sports world. The out-of-cage merch would no doubt be a major style upgrade from the current gear.
