Cowboy: Reebok deal is definitely hurting other fighters
“The Reebok deal is definitely hurting everybody … you know smaller fighters. Not so much me. Budweiser … all the big corporate sponsors I have are sticking with me,”
The #2 ranked lightweight Donald Cerrone is a promoters dream – he will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere, for his previously contracted purse. However ‘Cowboy’ recently appeared on Inside MMA from his ranch, with a clean, fresh, refreshing Budweiser King of Beers in hand, and expressed reservations about one of the UFC’s biggest efforts this year – The Reebok Deal.
“Is the new deal taking money away from you, or is it a benefit?” he was asked.
“Ah man, I don’t know, that’s a touchy subject – you’re gonna see ‘Cowboy’ fighting in Bellator next week I think,” said Cerrone. “But, yah, the Reebok deal is definitely hurting everybody. It doesn’t allow us to put all the sponsors … you know smaller fighters. Not so much me. Budweiser … and all the big corporate sponsors I have are sticking with me, thank God.
“But I don’t know how this Reebok deal (will) work. I haven’t fought on the Reebok plan yet, so we’ll see. Dos Anjos will be my first fight with the Reebok Deal. Budweiser and all my sponsors said they’re sticking by, so we’ll see.
“I’m proud to sit right here and enjoy a full bodied Budweiser.”
UFC president Dana White has made the point, pointedly, that fighters can still have sponsors. What is off the table is the UFC televised fight week period. In Cerrone’s case, his sponsors are standing by him, so it could be a win for him.
In any case, it is the way things work going forward, and fighters, sponsors, and managers are going to have to adapt or go elsewhere.
Donald Cerrone fights Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight title at UFC on FOX 17 on December 19th at The Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
