MacDonald making less sponsorship for Bellator debut but plans to build

One of the potential attractions for fighters moving from the UFC to Bellator is the #2 promotion’s open apparel sponsorship policy. In the UFC fighters have to wear Reebok during fight week and in the Octagon, in return for tiered payouts that range from $2,500 for fighters with five or fewer fights to $40,000 for champions. In Bellator, fighters can seek their own sponsors.

When Benson Henderson left the UFC for Bellator MMA, he cited the open sponsorship as a plus. However, the shorts Henderson wore for his Bellator debut, a welterweight title shot, featured just two logos – the gym he trains at (MMA Lab) and the noble Folds of Honor which provides educational scholarships to the children and spouses of fallen and disabled US service members. Those did not make him $40,000.

Ryan Bader had a different experience. He said that for his league debut vs. light heavyweight champion Phil Davis at Bellator 180, on June 24, his sponsorships sold out, and totaled a multiple of what he made from Reebok.

Rory MacDonald appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour and said he would be making less for sponsorship in his Bellator debut, but that that was was okay.

I could have easily went out and got plastered sponsors all over my shorts and banner and stuff and got little sponsors for the fight, said MacDonald, as transcribed by Dave Doyle for MMA Fighting. But basically what I’m going out there is for long-term, marquee sponsorships that are going to be solid name brands that are going represent me and I represent them well and be a long-term partnership.

So MacDonald will make his league debut at Bellator 179 on Friday vs. Paul Daley with two sponsors, Monster Energy and Everlast.

Give those sponsors big exposure, rather than be clustered and totally packed full of a bunch of different random companies that don’t have any connection to me whatsoever. That’s the strategy, there.

I’m definitely very happy with what I’m going to be making for my time in Bellator. Even if my sponsorships are a little bit down, it’s not a big deal for me. I’m looking at a big upside and I’m very happy with it.

When he was with the UFC, MacDonald signed a direct sponsorship with Reebok in 2015. He expressed thanks that the company continued the sponsorship after he signed with Bellator, but noted it has not been renewed.

They were nice enough to continue the sponsorship after I had signed with Bellator even though they weren’t obligated to, said MacDonald. They stuck by my side. We had a great partnership, we had a great deal.