Dave Bautista Has Harsh Words For Reebok

The former WWE champion doesn't want fans supporting apparel company

Dave Bautista, former WWE champion, MMA fighter (he won his lone fight in 2012 by TKO), and actor has come out with some harsh words for apparel company Reebok following the UFC on Fox 18 event this past weekend. Bautista, who is a big MMA fan and took the aforementioned pro fight in 2012 to test himself, took to Twitter to slam the company, and responded to a few fans in the process. Reebok, it should be noted, is in a partnership with the UFC to provide exclusive uniforms and "fight kits" to the UFC. They are now the sole sponsor fighters can wear in the octagon, during weigh-ins, during walk-outs, and during fight week - meaning UFC combatants have lost out on potentially thousands of sponsorship dollars since the deal took effect last Summer. Bautista had the following to say about the matter: https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/693619899948744704 While this may seem like a non-issue, the Reebok deal has been a constant point of contention for UFC fighters and their fans ever since it was announced. The deal pays out based on the number of fights a fighter has with the company, which means talent that made their names outside the UFC are getting the short end of the stick. For example, Josh Barnett, one of the bigger draws in the heavyweight division, and a former UFC champion, made only $5,000 in sponsorship money in the co-main event, when he easily could have made tens of thousands if allowed to have his own sponsors. Bautista didn't stop there, and pointed out the flaw in the argument that some top fighters have deals that go above and beyond the basic compensation the Reebok deal pays out: https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/693622808237182976 The importance of all this is that, if more celebrities speak out, the UFC may be forced to take action - though what that action might be remains to be seen. However, the criticism of the deal has not stopped since day one, and it's almost universally hated by fans. Recently, the promotion lost out on a couple of big names, Phil Davis and former lightweight champion Benson Henderson, who walked away from the company and signed with rival Bellator MMA, where fighters are allowed to have their own sponsors. The Reebok-UFC deal was a multi-year agreement, however, so fighters may be stuck with it for some time. Nevertheless, the more attention the issue gets, the better it is for up-and-coming fighters.
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Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.