To say that the Reebok partnership has been a work-in-progress is a bold understatement.
After spending months convincing pundits, fans, and the fighters themselves to believe in the UFC's $70 million partnership with the apparel brand, the process has been painful and costly to those combatants involved. Not only did the deal limit the sponsorship options for many experienced fighters, which in turn decreased their overall income, the UFC's disciplinary actions have caused an entirely new stir.
The promotion fined three notable fighters a percentage of their pure for non-compliance with the Reebok policy. Former title challenger Donald Cerrone was fined more than $5000 while champ Rafael dos Anjos was dealt a $10,000 fine. Nate Diaz the third fighter fined.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta compared the deal to school uniform and explained that when students don't comply with the uniform policy, they are punished.
"I think it's not fair for fighters not to comply with the outfitting policy," Fertitta told the Boston Herald (h/t MMAFighting). "It's a very, very small minority of athletes that haven't complied so far. It's like when you went to school, you know? Some people get detention for being out of uniform. It's not that hard. Tuck your shirt in."