Jacob “Stitch” Duran can’t deposit his fight-night bonuses into his bank account.
The long-time UFC cutman doesn’t clear any extra money after a successful shift — the clearest indicator of Duran’s performance, he says, comes from the fighters and fans taking in the event.
“When a fighter gives you a hug and a kiss and tells you they love you,” Duran says when asked how he knows if he has done a good job. “When the fans come and acknowledge you as doing a great job, ‘Thanks for giving us more rounds.’”
As a cutman, Duran begins preparing for events during the week leading up to fight night. Duran, who calls Las Vegas home, makes sure his bag is properly stocked with the tools of his trade — gauze, tape, three KO Swells, Vaseline and Adrenaline Chloride 1:1,000.
“They’re all important for their own specific reasons,” Duran says of his tools.
