The UFC might not be commenting on the release of popular cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran over his comments about the UFC-Reebok deal, but Reebok has.
Duran and his fellow cutmen, much like the fighters in the Octagon, had sponsorship deals that helped to supplement their UFC income. But when the Reebok deal went into effect, which blocks other sponsors inside the Octagon, the cutmen, like the fighters, were no longer allowed to wear sponsor apparel or logos inside the Octagon.
RELATED > Cutman Stich Duran Says UFC Let Him Go for Speaking Out About Reebok Deal
The fighters were put into a tiered per-fight payout structure once the deal went into effect, but Duran said that the cutmen were not getting a piece of the Reebok pie.
“No reason Reebok couldn’t be getting that exposure now. I wonder if Reebok realizes they are missing a nice piece of real estate,” Duran told bloodyelbow.com. “We told our concerns to our higher ups who brought them to their higher ups, but we were informed it’s a no-go. We were told there’s nothing left in the kitty for us so there wasn’t much we could do.”
Duran was released by the UFC on Tuesday, he says due to the fact that he spoke out. The UFC would not comment, but Reebok on Wednesday issued a statement via Twitter. It did not name Duran specifically, but given the timing, it almost certainly was in direct response to his release.
UFC fans: We have no input on decisions of UFC employment or fighter compensation. Our focus is providing the best gear for fighters & fans.
— Reebok (@Reebok) July 22, 2015
