Ch. 16 - Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion

The salary of mixed martial arts fighters vary, from Connor McGreggor's $3 million show money for his fight with Nate Diaz in UFC 202 to Donald Cerrone's $170,000 in that same event.  Keep in mind that these fighters have to pay managers, their gym and sparring partners, as well as medical expenses that their promotion's medical insurance will not cover.  In order to break even, most fighters obtain sponsorship from a variety of different companies.

Donald Cerrone wearing shorts with sponsors.

However with the new uniform policy of the UFC, fighters are no longer able to wear apparel with their corresponding sponsors.  Due to signing a multiple year contract with Reebok, the UFC now requires fighters to compete in Reebok "Fight Kits" in an attempt to standardize the uniform policy of its fighters.

Donald Cerrone wearing the Reebok "Fight Kit". Notice the lack of sponsors.

The UFC does share its earnings it receives from Reebok, however the fighters still make more money wearing shorts or gear with their sponsors on them.  In a Yahoo article written in May, 2015, Cerrone reveals that he stands to lose at least $60,000 in sponsorship earnings as a result of him not being able to step out with his sponsors on his shorts.

There is the argument that the UFC-Reebok deal legitimizes mixed-martial arts as a sport on the same level as NBA, NFL, and MLB; however in the time that the deal was made in the year 2015 and present day, I would tend to disagree.  The shorts and shirts is not what makes the fights exciting, it's the fighters themselves.  The people that will pay to watch Ronda Rousey or Jon Jones were not concerned about whether or not they are wearing brand-name shorts they recognize, they watch because they were enticed by the fighting style, the trash talking, and the entertainment value MMA fighting brings that no other sport can deliver.