Backed by ‘Fundafighter,’ UFC 167's Brian Ebersole returns for ‘new chapter’

UFC welterweight Brian Ebersole may have nearly 70 professional mixed martial arts bouts to his name, but his fight night experience this Saturday at UFC 167 will be different than any before.

As Ebersole (50-15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) prepares and fights Rick Story, he’ll have an unfamiliar face in his corner inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

That face may be unfamiliar to Ebersole, but in reality it’s one that contributed to his ability to compete at the UFC’s 20th anniversary show.

Prior to UFC 167, Ebersole has teamed up with “Fundafighter,” a company that allows fans to donate money toward Ebersole’s training camp expenses in exchange for fight memorabilia and other unique experiences, such as spending fight night in his corner.

The company is still a grass roots initiative at this point, but Ebersole couldn’t be any happier to participate and give back to his fans.

“To give this opportunity away is very exciting and hopefully I can lead the way,” Ebersole told MMAjunkie. “I don’t think anyone needs three corner men, so to be able to offer that out to a fan and really make their day feels great.

“Financially it really helps us out with some of our costs and allows us to finish camp. Putting the opportunity out there for a reasonable contribution to my training fund was mutually beneficial.”

“Fundafighter” is self-described as an easy, one-step link for fighters to connect with millions of MMA fans around the world and raise funds to support their projects.

In exchange for pledges, fighters offer fans a range of rewards and prizes including exclusive memorabilia and one-of-a-kind experiences.

While recording victories inside the octagon should be every athlete’s primary concern, discovering alternative means of revenue is always an added plus.

Ebersole recognized this and admits the increased financial support is something all fighters in the sport could use.

“To be able to use your name and your likeness and your celebrity to fund your training camp and training efforts is really helpful,” Ebersole said. “Some of these guys aren’t making a whole lot of money, so it’s great for them to go make some extra money by offering products.”

“‘[Fundafighter]‘ takes out the middleman and connects the fans with the fighters. They can get memorabilia and experiences straight from the athlete instead of signing a bunch of cards for a dealer.”

The UFC 167 contest will mark Ebersole’s first appearance inside the octagon since losing a decision to James Head at UFC 149 last year.

It was Ebersole’s first defeat under the UFC banner, and one that snapped an 11-fight winning streak for the American.

The 32-year-old admits taking the fight on short notice may have been a mistake; however, he says his layoff wasn’t due to the loss, but rather to recover from an existing injury.

“I had an injury, I fought through that injury I managed it for a couple training camps and the flare-ups were just getting more frequent and more severe,” Ebersole said. “So it was time to take a break.”

Ebersole was considered just a few wins away from title contention prior to his upset loss to Head. Over one year later, the division has passed him by and his comeback fight against Story (15-7 MMA, 8-5 UFC) is like starting from scratch.

The fighter says he is disappointed his stock has dropped so dramatically, and going into his sixth UFC fight is admittedly unsure where he stands with the organization.

“It’s definitely a different situation I stand in then a year ago,” Ebersole said. “To go from a situation where you’re one of the few viable title contenders with one or two more wins to now coming off one loss, I’m not sure if I’m fighting for my job or not.”

That uncertainty only drives Ebersole to perform better once the cage door closes on Saturday night.

After such a long break from competition, Ebersole is determined to start a new winning streak and prove why he was one of the UFC’s hottest fighters not long ago.

Moreover, “Bad Boy” wants to give the fan in his corner their moneys worth.

“The significance for me is this is a comeback fight.” Ebesole said. “I feel like I’m starting my career all over again. I had my 4-1 run but I’ve had such a long time off that it feels like I’m staring a new chapter.”

For more on UFC 167, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.