T.J. Dillashaw Speaks on Importance of Fighters Aligning With Brands Outside of Competition

2-Nil #AndStill!!!!@TJDillashaw finishes Garbrandt in the FIRST ROUND!!! #UFC227
| B2YB @ToyoTires | pic.twitter.com/o0iTnqWa4s

— UFC (@ufc) August 5, 2018

When the Ultimate Fighting Championship partnered with Reebok as its official provider of fighter apparel, many fighters expressed their disappointment as the deal meant a loss of sponsorship income since they would no longer be allowed to wear branded gear inside the Octagon. The deal forced fighters to search for alternate ways to make sponsorship money on the side.

UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw recently spoke to the International Business Times about his partnership with Sanabul -– a producer of fight gear -– and why other fighters should align themselves with brands particularly when they are not fighting and earning money.

“I feel it’s important to align yourself with brands that have similar goals and ideologies,” Dillashaw said. “A uniform doesn’t allow for us to showcase our personalities or stylistic differences. That is why my partnership with Sanabul is so important to me. We have the ability to create new concepts and designs together as well as make improvements to the quality of gear that people use. [Partnerships are] extremely important. Partnerships with different brands allows us as athletes to showcase our unique personalities and interests. Also, endorsements provide another stream of revenue which helps support us during periods of time in which we aren’t competing.”

Dillashaw has not confirmed his next bout, although he has several credible contenders in the bantamweight division, including a rematch with either Raphael Assuncao or Dominick Cruz or even a bout with former World Series of Fighting champ Marlon Moraes. Recently crowned UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo has also expressed a desire to fight him.