The UFC is developing fighter uniforms

At December’s UFC on FOX 9 event, lightweights Cody McKenzie and Sam Stout  faced off inside the octagon. “Hands of stone” ended up winning a lopsided decision over the former “TUF  12” competitor (McKenzie) that evening. However, it was Cody that would catch most of the media attention after the event, and for all the wrong reasons.

Cody went “old school” in terms of his attire for the UFC on FOX 9 bout with Stout, sporting a pair of plain white shorts that in fact still had the price tags attached. McKenzie’s choice of shorts did not sit well with UFC president Dana White, who told media:

“That’s one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen, and it’s even weirder that we let it happen. It won’t happen again.”

Also in December, the Zuffa fight boss promised that he was working on a way to fix sponsorships.

Yesterday, White told Bleacher Report that the uniform was one thing he was working on to deliver on that promise, but that nothing has been finalized just yet.

“We are. We’re working on it,” White said. “But nothing yet.”

According sources close to Bleacher Report, the deal is with a major apparel company and the uniform will be head to toe—including fight shorts, walkout shirt & hats, and every fighter in the UFC will wear it.

Sources also indicated that several spaces on the shorts and shirt will be reserved for fighters and managers to sell their own sponsorships. But outside of those spots, the uniforms will consist mostly of UFC-branded product and the brand of the apparel company.

The uniform deal would seemingly benefit lower-tier preliminary fighters who have trouble selling sponsorships on their own.

What do you think of the proposed uniform switch? Let’s hear it Penn Nation!