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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Venum have agreed a multi-year extension of their global partnership.
The renewal between the French brand and the mixed-martial arts (MMA) comes ahead of the UFC’s first event in the country at Paris’ Accor Arena on 3rd September. The brand will continue to design, produce and distribute the promotion’s performance apparel for the length of the new contract, reportedly three years.
The licensing division of UFC’s IMG parent company, which brokered the UFC’s original deal with Venum in 2020, also facilitated the extension of the agreement.
That agreement – whilst not worth as much as the UFC’s previous six-year, US$70 million contract with Reebok – did see Venum guarantee an increase in fees to the promotion’s fighters of between US$500 and US$2,000 depending on experience.
“We’re thrilled to renew our partnership with Venum,” said Tracey Bleczinski, UFC’s senior vice president of global consumer products.
“Venum is an iconic combat sports brand that understands the unique needs of MMA athletes, and the feedback on the craftmanship, style, and performance of the Venum-designed fight kits and apparel has been tremendous.”
Franck Dupuis, founder and chief executive of Venum, added: “Venum’s return to UFC in April 2021 has been a source of great pride for the Venum team.
“The enthusiastic reception from UFC athletes and fans to the launch and release of our UFC collections has convinced us to continue our adventure inside the Octagon, and to continue to improve our products to serve a demanding and passionate public. The best is ahead of us.”