MMA Payout reports that MMA Authentic/Cagefighter has been banned from sponsoring fighters in the Octagon.
CageFighter and other MMA Authentics brands have been banned from the Octagon and any UFC event.
The dispute is rumored to have arisen from a conflict over shelf space in Wal-mart stores. Sources told MMAPayout.com that CageFighter/MMA Authentics beat out the UFC for the valuable real estate in the nation’s top retailer. As a result Zuffa pulled the plug on MMA Authentics’ access to the Octagon in retaliation.
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CageFighter and MMA Authentics has a impressive list of fighters who will be adversely affected by the ban. BJ Penn, Michael Bisping, Forrest Griffin, Marcus Davis, Brandon Vera, Urijah Faber, Sam Stout, Roger Huerta, and Chuck Liddell all have signature shirts available for purchase through one or more of the MMA Authentics brands.
How is anyone not convinced the UFC is run by scumbags? If it only hurt the clothing company, sure I could understand somewhat, but fucking over your own product like that is fucked.
If MMA is to remain popular, someone will come around and do a better job than the UFC eventually. There is only so long you can screw over your biggest commodity.
If another company legitamitely beat the UFC at something, they need to own up and make better business decisions going forward. Burning bridges because your feelings got hurt is not the way to run any business. Hopefully there is a real reason behind this mess...
I still believe this kind of isolationism and lack of cooperation will one day come back to haunt them. That "one day" seems farther and farther away, but I still believe it will happen.
Mad Xyientist - I still believe this kind of isolationism and lack of cooperation will one day come back to haunt them. That "one day" seems farther and farther away, but I still believe it will happen.
This is why monopoly is better. That way, UFC can ensure ONLY high quality UFC merchandise is available to fans and sponsors. Plus they can make sure that UFC fighters can only be sponsored by UFC. This is win/win for everyone!
This thistle guy must be your biggest fan, Xyientist, he's on you like white on rice
Obviously banning Cage Fighter based on such specious reasoning is noteworthy, but when you consider the fact that Zuffa has some financial stake in TapouT, it makes you wonder if this decision was fuelled by more than just petty retribution.