Bellator President Scott Coker isn’t a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) deal with Reebok.
The UFC is the top mixed martial arts organization, but Bellator holds the number two spot. A big difference between the two promotions is the way sponsorships are handled. The UFC forces their fighters to wear Reebok gear through the Athlete Outfitting Program. Fighters in Bellator choose their own sponsors.
During a recent appearance on “The MMA Hour,” Coker said he doesn’t understand how the UFC can get away with the Reebok deal they have in place (via MMAMania.com):
“Listen, they’re independent contractors. How they’re forced to wear uniforms, to this day, still baffles me. It should be against the labor laws or something. Because you have to wear this sponsor? You have to wear a certain uniform when you fight? To me, they should be contractually positioned to get whatever sponsor they want. If Ryan Bader went out and made a million dollars in sponsorships, good for you!”
