UFC fighters will be wearing Venum uniforms on fight nights for the foreseeable future.
After fizzling out individual in-cage fighter sponsorships by partnering with Reebok in 2015, the UFC linked up with Venum as its new apparel sponsor in April 2021. UFC COO Lawrence Epstein told MMA Junkie at the time the agreement was set for three years, but less than halfway in, the two sides have opted to extend.
The UFC announced the new deal Wednesday but offered no financial or timeframe details other than calling it a “multiyear renewal.”
“The enthusiastic reception from UFC athletes and fans to the launch and release of our UFC collections has convinced us to continue our adventure inside the octagon, and to continue to improve our products to serve a demanding and passionate public,” Venum founder and CEO Franck Dupuis stated. “The best is ahead of us.”
The UFC’s uniform partnerships with Venum and, previously, Reebok have directly tied into its Promotional Guideline Compliance program, in which athletes are paid a flat sum on fight week for adhering to outfitting policies, as well as completing all required promotional duties and following a defined code of conduct.
The payouts are funded through the promotion’s deal with Venum, and are tiered based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
The UFC did not respond to MMA Junkie’s request for comment about details of the renewal and whether the tiered payouts will increase or remain the same in light of the Venum extension.
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