Chris Weidman Inks Exclusive Reebok Sponsorship Deal

Moments ago on today’s (Mon., October 19, 2015) The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Senior Business Unit Director of Reebok’s Combat Sports Michael Lunardelli appeared on the show with a “Join The Team,” shirt on to declare that UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman was the newest member of Reebok’s exclusive sponsorships.

The red, white, and blue shirt, which references his infamous post-fight speech after beating Vitor Belfort at UFC 187, was heavily plugged before Weidman’s official “All-American” Pump shoes were unveiled, much to the champion’s surprise.

Weidman joins Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Anthony Pettis, Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, Paige VanZant and Khabib Nurmagomedov as fighters with official Reebok sponsorship deals.

The reaction to the UFC-Reebok deal, which requires fighters to only wear Reebok gear in the cage for a payout that most have deemed ridiculously low, has been met with largely negative reactions to this point.

Heading into his pivotal UFC 194 showdown with Luke Rockhold, you’d have to wonder if Weidman signing with Reebok was truly the best way to get people to “join his team.” It’s not like he had much of a choice in today’s sponsorship-limited landscape, however.