MMA Business: Music Sponsor Steps In to Provide Walkout Music for Nick Diaz at UFC 137

Nick Diaz at UFC 53

The evolution of sponsors in the MMA game can usually only go so far.

Patches on fight shorts, t-shirts, an occasional can of an energy drink, and supplements are the standards in the MMA world of sponsorships.

Well one music group is expanding their reach by sponsoring fighters and providing them with walkout music, while giving them a cut of proceeds for any sales the song might generate.

Coalition Fight Music (CFM) have inked a deal with J. Manly of Team Cesar Gracie to provide walkout music for many of the team’s fighters starting with Nick Diaz for his upcoming fight at UFC 137 against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

“CFM is proud to partner with Team Cesar Gracie for this monumental arrangement,” said Tony Savo, producer for CFM. “Now the music industry has officially “co-signed” on the fastest growing sport in the world. We’ve always been very fond of Nick and are excited to be in his corner for what we believe will be the fight of the year.”

CFM’s song that will be used for Diaz’s walkout music will also be featured in the upcoming 505 Games release ‘Supremacy MMA’ for Xbox and PS3, as well as the upcoming Jackie Chan feature ‘Life is War’.

Countless numbers of bands have shown support for MMA over the years, and fighters in the past like Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson have even had tracks made specifically for them, but this will be a new generation of sponsorship for the sport.

The partnership between CFM and Team Cesar Gracie will extend beyond the fight with Diaz, but they will debut their track specifically for the UFC 137 main event.

Diaz takes on St-Pierre in a battle for the UFC welterweight title in Las Vegas on Oct 29.