The UFC allegedly bans Affliction - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Pitbull · 01-25-2008, 12:46 PM

Courtesy of 5thRound.com - Mixed Martial Arts Coverage (UFC, EliteXC, IFL, M-1, MMA News) » Report: Affliction banned from sponsoring fighters in the UFC

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We are still gathering all of the details about this story, but we have been able to confirm it with a couple of people within the MMA community. From what we’re being told, the UFC is no longer allowing the clothing line Affliction to sponsor its fighters. For the past year, Affliction has been a big part of the UFC as they have sponsored many of the fighters who have fought in the UFC including current interim UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and current Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. It seems as though Affliction wore out its welcome with the UFC as soon as the UFC got wind that Affliction was planning to get into the MMA game themselves.

The word is that the UFC was not happy about Affliction starting their own fighting organization. We currently aren’t sure if Affliction is partnering up with anybody or if they are going about it by themselves, but that was what we were able to confirm with our sources. Affliction has been one of the most notable names around the UFC, if you don’t believe me go to a UFC event because you’ll see every other person wearing an Affliction shirt.

The last fighter to actually wear Affliction during an event was Georges St. Pierre at UFC 79 where he sported Affliction on his tights and gi. If you review UFC 80 and Wednesday’s Ultimate Fight Night: Swick vs. Burkman, you’ll notice that Affliction was noticeably absent from any fighter’s apparel.

This rumor has been flying around over the past few days, but still hasn’t been brought up because everyone was uncertain about the validity of the report. We could’ve reported this yesterday, but we wanted to give both the UFC and Affliction a chance to comment on the situation, when we attempted to e-mail both parties, we received no response.

We’re working around the clock to get more information behind this report, and we’ll definitely let you know first when we get it. Remember that 5thRound.com was the first to break this story.

Rush · 01-25-2008, 12:49 PM

Can't say I'm sorry about this one. Never really been a big fan of the Affiliction shirts.

subgenius · 01-25-2008, 12:52 PM

Hmm, weird. But, I guess it makes sense, if Affliction is starting up it's own promotion. It would be competition for the UFC. But, the UFC has also been targeting larger sponsors (Harley Davidson, for example).

Crashsti · 01-25-2008, 12:53 PM

Right move by the UFC as far a business goes. You don't see Toyo Tires starting a fight promotion. Might not be popular with the fans or the fighters but as they say, "business is not a democracy.".

jyd94 · 01-25-2008, 01:03 PM

Whats next? Mickey's FINE malt liqour fight league?

mxfuel · 01-25-2008, 01:09 PM

Has to hurt some of the fighters though. Will Affliction no longer sponser UFC fighters?

StratTone · 01-25-2008, 01:10 PM

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Originally Posted by Rush

Can't say I'm sorry about this one. Never really been a big fan of the Affiliction shirts.

Yeah how can you blame the UFC. Conflict of interest is a very non cool thing to do in the buisness world.

T-Bone · 01-25-2008, 02:04 PM

Hey....didn't Randy & Fedor just do a whole Affliction shoot which got a lot of pub?

Interesting timing on this story.

Heatwaves · 01-25-2008, 02:20 PM

This is a travesty! The world needs more $80 T-shirts!

Think of the starving children, what are they going to wear!!!

fullonshred · 01-25-2008, 02:21 PM

Hmmmmm..... Will they block fans from attending who choose to wear Affliction T's?

T-Bone · 01-25-2008, 02:23 PM

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Originally Posted by Heatwaves

This is a travesty! The world needs more $80 T-shirts!

Think of the starving children, what are they going to wear!!!

They can always wear something like this...

stillstanding · 01-25-2008, 05:36 PM

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Originally Posted by jyd94

Whats next? Mickey's FINE malt liqour fight league?

or AA's sponsor of Condomdepot.com

Gooner · 01-25-2008, 05:44 PM

Yeah, they're lame shirts (sorry, Pit), but this sucks for the fighters who lost a sponsor.

Especially as it seems like a lot of guys are making most of their "UFC"-money from the sponsors anyway.

MTKrav911 · 01-25-2008, 06:03 PM

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Originally Posted by T-Bone

They can always wear something like this...

I gave my kickboxing instructor that card once after buying some Tapout shirts. It's classic. He's got it hung on the inside of the office window above his computer.

Although I think the designs are old, I like the Tapout company. They go about their business well and don't interfere with The UFC. They seek simply to go about furthering the cause of MMA. It's interesting that The UFC has a very solid relationship with such a simple company and business idea as Tapout.

I like those guys.

giguer · 01-25-2008, 07:06 PM

Maybe we will start to see more Avirex clothes like what Cote have.

kbtat2 · 01-25-2008, 08:31 PM

This is going to put the fighters that are sponsored by Affliction in a tight spot. I would imagine they pay pretty well considering the price of their shirts. How will this play out? Hmmm.......
I've also noticed a lot more Ecko clothing recently. Totally unrelated I know but just seems a little odd since they aren't fight related. Heh, then again neither is Mickey's fine malt liquor or Harley Davidson.

AikaImmortal · 01-25-2008, 11:40 PM

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Originally Posted by Rush

Can't say I'm sorry about this one. Never really been a big fan of the Affiliction shirts.

Like the shirts or not, they were putting serious money into the pockets of fighers. With xyience on the way out, fighters need all of the supplementary income they can get.

takenover · 01-26-2008, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Bone

Hey....didn't Randy & Fedor just do a whole Affliction shoot which got a lot of pub?

Interesting timing on this story.

This is going to be an intresting year.

arelius · 01-26-2008, 07:48 AM

Their clothing line was cool but way overpriced and overrated IMO. Proper business move for UFC, I would do the same thing.

AikaImmortal · 01-26-2008, 10:18 PM

From FightLinker. This provides much more insight. All of the research I have done gives NO FRUTITION WHATSOEVER to the rumors of Affliction Clothing starting a fight promotion. Put 2 and 2 togahter. Zuffa hates the IFL. Xtreme Couture has an IFL team. They are pissed at Randy, and they are making all fighters suffer because of yet another petty childish squabble of Dana "good to be" White.

Looks like Affliction is paying the price for setting up that whole Randy / Fedor date last week. The big report is that the UFC has banned Affliction from sponsoring fighters because Affliction now represents ‘competition’. This is all one big rumor at the moment but if you ask me the proof is in the pudding (whatever the **** that means): No fighters at UFC80 were wearing those god awful shirts.

Now if the UFC existed in a bubble, I’d be down with them banning Affliction shirts. They’re tacky as hell and are only useful to be able to easily identify meatheads at a distance. However, the UFC doesn’t live inside a bubble, so I have to say that banning a huge clothing company that’s basically developing a fashion trend through the UFC (albeit a horrible one) IS A TERRIBLE ****ING IDEA.

Honestly, Affliction and UFC have become pretty much synonymous : people see Affliction shirts and they think UFC. People watch UFC and they expect to see Affliction shirts. And this isn’t a bad thing for the UFC : tons of celebrities and sports stars have ****ty taste, and a day doesn’t pass where there aren’t pictures taken of stars sporting a GSP or XTreme Couture shirt.

Of course, herein lies the issue: Dana White doesn’t like how Affliction is in bed with Randy, and you better believe the whole Randy / Fedor Affliction adverts probably pushed poor Dana over the edge. So now Dana has decided he don’t need no stinking Affliction. And hey, maybe he doesn’t.

Again, I’m not gonna complain as a fan because those shirts were like war crimes against my eyes. But you already saw that horrific velvet shirt Sean Sherk wore at UFC80. These bastards are gonna be dressing like fugs regardless of the ban. So putting our hatred of Affliction aside, ask yourself: how smart is it to run one of the biggest clothing sponsors out of your company?